SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdish forces in Sulaimani have arrested four African suspects over drug trafficking, Iraq’s security media cell said on Saturday.
In a statement, the security media cell said the Kurdistan Region’s security forces seized 70 kilograms of heroin and opium in Sulaimani province.
“The process of arresting this group of four suspects, who hold African citizenship, was carried out with efforts and qualitative follow-up on the ground,” it added.
There was no immediate comment from the Kurdish authorities.
Kurdish officials have warned that drug trafficking threatens to become an epidemic if anti-narcotics forces fail to curtail its rise in the Kurdistan Region.
The security forces seized more than 555 kilograms of narcotics including heroin, methamphetamine and hashish in 2020, according to the Region’s directorate of anti-narcotics.
According to security officials, some of the drugs that they seize are imported illegally from Iran.
