The Iraqi Minister of Interior, Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, announced on Saturday the establishment of a joint communication cell with Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria to combat drug trafficking.
Speaking at the sixth Baghdad International Dialogue Conference titled “Regional Communication.
The Centrality of Iraq,” as reported by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Al-Shammari mentioned that a meeting was held in Jordan with the participation of Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon to discuss the process of combating drug smuggling.
The meeting concluded with several recommendations, the most significant of which was the formation of a joint communication cell to streamline operations and track international drug smuggling networks.
The Iraqi minister highlighted the substantial cooperation from neighboring countries, leading to successful outcomes, including the arrest of dealers from neighboring nations and the seizure of large quantities of drugs. Monitoring efforts have also been intensified.
Al-Shammari further stated that 80 international drug dealers were sentenced last year. He pointed out that a comprehensive strategy was developed at the beginning of 2023 for three years, encompassing 15 goals with 24 partners, focusing on reducing supply and demand, establishing rehabilitation clinics, and collaborating with international partners.
He noted that Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has directed Iraq to be the security hub for drug control initiatives.
