Barzani said in a speech at the ceremony that “significant and collective” efforts have been made to address drug use, and they are working to “prevent the further spread of this great danger.”
“A fund has been created for prevention, rehabilitation, and treatment of those affected by or addicted to these substances. The establishment of this center is part of our efforts to assist those affected and help them reintegrate into normal life,” Barzani said.
Barzani praised the Kurdistan Region’s security forces for carrying out operations against drug traffickers and dealers. However, he also lamented the widespread of drug use in the Region.
“Unfortunately, this phenomenon has increased significantly, and we see daily reports of the arrest of a number of smugglers being broadcast on the media. While the arrests themselves are quite satisfying, we are deeply concerned to see that this phenomenon has become so widespread that it has turned into daily news,” Barzani said.
The Kurdish premier also called on the Iraqi government to take “extremely strict measures” against drug traffickers.
Ihsan Abdulrahman, director of the Kurdistan Region’s correctional facilities, said in May that 1,311 individuals were incarcerated for drug-related offenses, including 50 women. The official added that convictions for drug-related charges in the region have significantly increased.
In March, Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) labor and social affairs ministry also warned about the spread of drugs, stressing that authorities had recorded an increase in drug usage and dealing among women, in particular.
In October 2023, Prime Minister Barzani said that the Region is intensifying its efforts to combat the threat of drugs, calling on Kurdish and international communities to cooperate with Erbil to eliminate the “endemic” problem.
In addition to increased drug usage, the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, especially along their borders with Iran, Turkey, and Syria, are major transit routes for illicit drugs into Europe.
Drug dealing and usage in Iraq is rising at an alarming rate, despite strict governmental measures to combat the phenomenon.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani has repeatedly stated that his cabinet is committed to fighting drugs as seriously as the country fights terrorism.
In 2023, more than 19,000 people were arrested across Iraq on drug-related charges, according to Baghdad, and over 15 tons of psychotropic substances were seized.
Iraq’s judiciary has handed down strict sentences for drug-related crime, including 140 death sentences and 500 life imprisonment (20 years in Iraqi law) sentences for smugglers and dealers since the start of 2023, according to official data from the interior ministry.
