ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraqi security forces on Thursday announced the arrest of 11 suspects for drug-related offenses, including several foreign nationals, in a number of operations in the southern province of Basra,

The Iraqi National Security Service (INSS) said in a statement that their forces had carried out a maritime surveillance operation that lasted more than 48 hours, leading to the arrest of two foreign drug traffickers, who were in possession of 10 kilograms of marijuana which they were trying to “smuggle across Iraqi territorial waters into the country.”

The forces also arrested a suspected dealer after he was “caught red-handed” in central Basra, with 8,000 tramadol pills and 135 narcotic capsules in his possession, the statement added.

Another foreign national was detained with 80 grams of crystal meth in his possession.

The other detainees included a foreign man and woman suspected of transporting crystal meth and marijuana, a foreign national working as a financial intermediary for the traffickers, three local dealers, and one buyer.

“All suspects, along with the seized items, were referred to the relevant judicial authorities for legal action,” read the statement from the INSS.

Iraq, with its extensive borders with Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, has evolved from a transit route to a significant drug consumption market. Authorities in both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq have intensified their efforts to eradicate the problem.

Iraq’s Ministry of Interior in May announced that it has ranked third in global efforts to fight drug trafficking and abuse, according to the latest World Police Summit. Iraq comes third following India and Montenegro in first and second places respectively. The summit evaluated 138 countries and 205 governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Iraqi authorities arrested around 14,500 suspects on drug-related charges in 2024 and issued death sentences for 144 suspected drug traffickers. At least 454 others were sentenced to life (20 years in Iraqi law), according to official data.