Iraq records 18% drop in crime, seizes some 2 tons of narcotics since start of 2026
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq’s crime rate fell 18 percent in the first half of 2026, Baghdad’s interior ministry reported Tuesday, adding that authorities seized nearly two tons of narcotics and issued more than 2.6 million traffic fines during the same period.
“The first half of 2026 witnessed an 18 percent decline in crime rates compared with the corresponding period in previous years,” ministry Spokesperson Major General Miqdad Miri said at a briefing in Baghdad, adding that “1,977 kilograms of narcotic substances were seized and 3,553 suspects on drug-related charges were arrested” since the start of January as well.
He further detailed that of those apprehended on drug-related offenses, “death sentences were issued against 58 of those convicted, while 236 others were sentenced to life imprisonment.”
Iraqi authorities have in recent years intensified their campaign against drug trafficking, as the country – once primarily a transit route – has increasingly become a destination for narcotics consumption.
According to Miri, Baghdad’s interior ministry has also “carried out 17 cross-border operations to combat drug trafficking in cooperation with neighboring and regional countries” since the beginning of this year alone.
The interior ministry spokesperson also noted that Iraqi authorities have “arrested 289 suspects involved in tribal armed attacks.”
Tribal conflicts also continue to be a top security concern for the Iraqi government, particularly in southern Iraq, where they remain a frequent occurrence, often requiring intervention from the Iraqi military. These disputes typically involve light and medium weapons and, in some cases, mortar shells.
The violence is usually driven by disputes over agricultural land, water resources, and border crossings. These conflicts are compounded by the widespread availability of arms, with tribes in the region possessing millions of weapons, many obtained from military caches left behind by the toppled regime of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, as well as paramilitary groups.
Beyond the narcotics and tribal disputes dossiers, Miri explained that Baghdad captured some “102 suspects for belonging to extremist religious groups and promotion of thoughts of the dissolved Baath Party, and 50 suspects on charges of antiquities smuggling.”
He added that “83 suspects were also apprehended over electronic blackmail, 25 suspects for financial fraud, and 52 suspects for human trafficking.”
Moreover, “the total number of traffic fines issued during the first half of 2026 reached 2,638,000,” he explained.