ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s integrity commission on Tuesday announced the dismantling of a network allegedly involved in concealing the ownership of around 170 properties – “valued at tens of billions” of dinars – in Baghdad and Babil.

The network allegedly registered the properties under the names of relatives and friends to “conceal true ownership,” the commission said in a statement carried by Iraqi state media.

The statement comes amid an anti-corruption crackdown by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi that started with a sweeping raid of Baghdad’s Green Zone in late June, which saw the arrest of several high-ranking Iraqi officials.

By late July, Iraq had seized over $125 million and 380 kilograms of gold and jewelry hidden in various places in a corruption case involving Adnan al-Jumaili, the detained oil ministry undersecretary for refining affairs.

The commission said that records were seized after being hidden in tall grass, while others were recovered “from the banks of the Hilla River following an attempt to destroy them.”

Investigations led to the arrest of the alleged “ring leader,” who was the director of a real estate office, as well as other members.

The same body announced on Monday that eight employees of Amara municipality and real estate registration directorates were arrested in Maysan province, after uncovering alleged “tampering and forgery” in the allocation of 120 auctioned lands.

In late August, it said it prevented the sale of a 550-dunam state property in Anbar, saving over 19 billion dinars in the process.

Zaidi directed the activation of a law rewarding corruption whistleblowers, tighter monitoring at border crossings, and the public exposure of corrupt individuals, following a visit to the federal integrity commission in August.

The premier’s clampdown on corruption has witnessed widespread support across the Iraqi political sphere, including the ruling Coordination Framework.