38 suspected loan sharks detained in Dhi Qar and Najaf in 45 days

DHIQAR, Iraq — Security forces in Dhi Qar province have detained 35 people in the past 45 days as part of a broad operation targeting unlicensed money lenders, according to the governor's adviser, Heydar Saadi. Speaking on Saturday, Saadi said the crackdown had also led to the seizure of numerous civil servant and pensioner salary cards that had been held as collateral for high-interest loans. Saadi said members of the public have increasingly been filing complaints with the relevant authorities, helping drive the campaign against credit brokers operating in the province. He did not specify which agencies carried out the arrests in Dhi Qar or provide further operational details. Separately in Najaf, the National Security Service detained three suspected loan brokers in a recent operation, a security source said. One of those arrested allegedly used a sweets and pastry shop in the central Al-Amir neighborhood as a front to conceal the lending activity, the source added. Combined, the two operations have resulted in 38 suspects being taken into custody over the 45-day period. No further details on the cases or potential charges were immediately available.