Anbar narcotics police arrest 19 in Captagon trafficking network

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Anbar Narcotics Branch Directorate said it dismantled a 19-member drug trafficking network and detained all suspects, including two women, according to a written statement. Officers seized 408,000 Captagon pills during the operation, with the confiscated narcotics estimated at around 68 kilograms in total weight, the directorate said. The statement added that the network was exposed after judicial approvals were obtained. The Anbar narcotics branch said intelligence work and field surveillance were used to identify the suspects individually. Authorities described the operation as a heavy blow to the organization's smuggling network. The detained suspects have been referred to judicial authorities, and the seized narcotics were confiscated as part of the ongoing investigation, the statement said. The directorate added that efforts against drug traffickers will continue with resolve.