Three Iraqi officials detained in Maysan over alleged extortion of farmers

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Commission on Integrity said three employees at a state grain silo in Maysan province were detained on suspicion of extorting money from farmers delivering wheat. The probe focuses on a head of an implementation committee and two members at the Amara silo operated by the General Company for Grain Trade, according to a written statement from the commission. The commission's Maysan investigation office said the suspects were responsible for loading, unloading and cleaning operations at the silo and had demanded set payments from farmers on a per-vehicle basis for wheat deliveries. The statement added that the Iraqi state already covers unloading, machinery and labor costs and has allocated separate funds for those items, meaning farmers should not have been asked for additional money. The detained employees were referred to a Maysan anti-corruption investigative court under Article 340 of the Iraqi Penal Code, the commission said, with the required legal proceedings initiated. No further details on the case were immediately available.