BAGHDAD, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces arrested nine drug traffickers in the capital Baghdad, the Iraqi National Security Service (INSS) said on Wednesday.
Based on intelligence reports and three months of tracking, the security forces managed to dismantle one of the most dangerous drug trafficking criminal networks, the INSS said in a statement.
It said that initial investigations had led to the discovery of a main drug warehouse in eastern Baghdad, and the seizure of large quantities of narcotics.
Years of chaos and conflict since the 2003 U.S. invasion have hindered Iraq's efforts to combat drug trafficking.
In May 2023, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani underlined the importance of waging "a war on drugs," saying that drug trade remains one of the main source of financing terrorism and thrives alongside terrorism. ■
