Iraq seizes 500,000 narcotic pills in cross-border drug smuggling crackdown

Iraqi anti-drug authorities said on Wednesday that its security forces dismantled a drug trafficking network and seized 500,000 narcotic pills in the western province of Anbar.
Four suspects were arrested in an ambush when they attempted to smuggle the pills into a neighboring country using a large cargo truck, according to the General Directorate of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Affairs.
Years of chaos and conflict following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion have hindered Iraq’s efforts to combat narcotics. The Iraqi government has stated that drug trafficking remains a significant source of funding for terrorism, while the circulation of drugs thrives in the shadows of terrorism.