Iraqi security forces seized more than six million Captagon amphetamine-type stimulant pills, made several arrests and dismantled a drug trafficking ring. “About 6.2 million pills” were found in a warehouse southwest of the capital, Baghdad, the National Security Agency said in a statement on Saturday. Three Iraqi nationals and four suspects from other Arab countries were arrested in connection with the trafficking network, the agency said, adding that the drugs were destined for distribution “in areas of Baghdad and other provinces.” Security forces also dismantled a second drug ring when three men with six kilograms of hashish were arrested. All 10 suspects “admitted to having links to international drug trafficking networks,” the agency said. Convicts for drug trafficking could face the death penalty in Iraq. Captagon was the brand name of a drug that was first patented in Germany in the early 1960s and contained an amphetamine-type stimulant called phenethylene used to treat attention deficit disorder and narcolepsy, among other conditions. The drug was later banned and became an illegal substance produced and consumed almost exclusively in the Middle East and close to what is known in other countries as “speed”. Syria is the main producer of Captagon in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia is the main consumer market. Saudi customs open pomegranate imports as customs thwart smuggling of more than five million Captagon pills in 2021 [File photo: Saudi Press Agency/AP] In April 2021, Saudi customs authorities in the port of Jeddah prevented an attempt to smuggle more than 5.3 million Captagon pills, which were hidden in pomegranate shipments from Lebanon. The drug rejection has led Saudi Arabia to suspend imports of fruit and vegetables from Lebanon, saying the shipments are being used for drug trafficking and accusing Beirut of inaction. Then last June, Saudi customs thwarted an attempt to smuggle more than 4.5 million Captagon pills hidden in a shipment of oranges from an unknown country, and another 14.4 million pills were discovered hidden in a shipment of iron . Drug sales and use in Iraq have skyrocketed in recent years. Security forces have stepped up operations and are making almost daily announcements of seizures or arrests. In the first three months of this year, more than three million Captagon pills were seized by Iraqi authorities.
