Najaf court sentences drug trafficker to death

NAJAF, Iraq — A criminal court in Najaf has sentenced a drug trafficker to death after he was caught with roughly 2.5 kilograms of crystal narcotics, a judicial source said. The verdict was issued on Saturday under Article 27 of the country's narcotics law. According to the source, investigators found that the defendant had smuggled the drugs into Najaf from a neighboring country. The court noted that the quantity and type of the seized substance were treated as aggravating factors in the case. Judicial procedures in the case have been completed, the court said, adding that the ruling was issued in accordance with Iraqi law. The judicial source said the standard appeal process can now be initiated before the sentence becomes final. The verdict comes as Iraqi courts continue to hand down death sentences in narcotics trafficking cases, reflecting the authorities' stated campaign against drug smuggling networks operating across the country.