Interior Minister at Baghdad International Dialog Conference: We formed a liaison cell with three countries to combat drugs

Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari announced on Saturday the formation of a joint cell of communication with Jordan, Lebanon and Syria to combat drugs.

"A meeting was held in Jordan with the participation of Iraq, Syria and Lebanon to discuss the fight against drug trafficking," Al-Shammari said during an interview at the sixth Baghdad International Dialog Conference, which is being held by the Iraqi Institute for Dialog at the University of Baghdad. "The meeting came up with a set of recommendations, the most important of which is the formation of a joint communication cell in order to shorten time and follow up on international drug smuggling gangs."

He pointed out that "there is great cooperation by neighboring countries, and good results have been achieved, which resulted in the arrest of traders from neighboring countries with the seizure of large quantities of narcotics, and surveillance has been activated."

And that 80 international drug traffickers were sentenced last year, pointing out that "the ministry is working according to Law 50 of 2017, and a comprehensive strategy was prepared at the beginning of 2023 for a period of three years that included 15 goals with 24 partners, and the most important of which was the subject of reducing supply and demand, establishing forced clinics and working with international partners."

And he stressed that "Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa al-Sudani directed that Iraq be the center of the security point of departure for the fight against drugs."