Two colonels detained in Saladin over alleged traffic fine fraud

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Two colonels serving in the Saladin Traffic Directorate have been detained on accusations of embezzling more than 2 billion Iraqi dinars through irregularities and forgery in traffic fines, according to an official source. The operation was carried out by a team under the General Directorate of Traffic, without the involvement of any other security body, the source said. Investigators initially identified 1.8 billion dinars in misappropriated funds, before a second sum exceeding 350 million dinars emerged, bringing the total above 2 billion dinars across the two separate cases of irregularity, according to the source. The source added that the operation was conducted under the direct supervision of the Director General of Traffic and involved only traffic personnel. The official described the operation as the first of its kind recorded under this mandate. No further details were immediately available on the identities of the suspects or the next procedural steps in the investigation.