**UN Warns: Iraq Becoming a Regional Hub for Drug Trafficking**

Iraqi authorities seized a record 24 million Captagon pills in 2023, weighing over 4.1 tons and valued between $84 million and $144 million.

Iraqi authorities seized record amounts of Captagon pills last year, potentially worth up to $144 million, according to a report published on Monday by the United Nations. The UN warned that the country is becoming an important “hub” for drug trafficking.

On Monday, Iraq hosted a conference attended by ministers and officials from regional and Arab countries to enhance cooperation in the fight against drugs.

A report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) stated, “Iraq has witnessed a massive surge in drug trafficking and consumption over the past five years,” particularly concerning Captagon and methamphetamine.

According to the report, Iraqi authorities in 2023 seized a “record-breaking 24 million Captagon pills” weighing over 4.1 tons, with an estimated value between $84 million and $144 million.

The report highlighted that “Captagon seizures have increased nearly threefold” between 2022 and 2023, noting that last year’s seizures were “34 times higher” than those in 2019.

Captagon is an old name for a drug that dates back decades, but today, these amphetamine-based pills are the leading drug in terms of production, trafficking, and consumption in the Middle East.

The UN report warned that “Iraq is at risk of becoming an increasingly important hub for the drug trafficking system across the Middle and Near East, as Iraq is located at the intersection of a complex global drug trafficking network.”

Baghdad frequently announces the seizure of large quantities of drugs, particularly Captagon, which is primarily smuggled from Syria, now the main source of these pills.

According to the UN report, 82% of Captagon pills seized in the region between 2019 and 2023 originated from Syria, followed by Lebanon (17%).

Iraq is also gradually becoming a route for methamphetamine trafficking, mainly sourced from Southwest Asia, especially Afghanistan. Iraq has seen a sixfold increase in methamphetamine seizures between 2019 and 2023.

The UN report warned that “the rise in drug trafficking through Iraq and neighboring countries has been accompanied by an increase in local consumption across the country.”

Governments in the region have recently intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking.

During Monday’s conference in Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani stated that “Iraq is open to any cooperation or effort with brothers and friends” to confront what he described as “a transnational crime.”

He added, “We will support any effort aimed at eradicating drug dens and production sites.”

The participants in the conference recommended in a final statement to “enhance joint mechanisms and adopt the principle of integration in security work to cut off drug trafficking routes.”

By/radwa sherif ✏️✏️📚

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