Dramatic Surge in Illicit Drug Seizures in Kurdistan: From 206 kg in 2019 to Over 2.7 Tons in 2023
According to the statistics provided by the KRG security agencies in Erbil, Sulaimani, and Duhok to the UN on drug seizures, the amount of confiscated narcotics has skyrocketed between 2019 and 2023.
The total quantity of hashish, opium, heroin, methamphetamine, and captagon seized in 2019 was only 206 kg. However, in 2023, it reached 2 tons and 708 kg.
Here are the detailed figures for each year:
2019: 21 kg hashish; 25 kg opium; 88 kg heroin; 72 kg methamphetamine.
2020: 20 kg hashish; 96 kg opium; 419 kg heroin.
2021: 45 kg hashish; 134 kg opium; 194 kg heroin; 146 kg methamphetamine.
2022: 55 kg hashish; 179 kg opium; 62 kg heroin; 224 kg methamphetamine; 367 kg captagon.
2023: 119 kg hashish; 255 kg opium; 203 kg heroin; 746 kg methamphetamine; 1385 kg captagon.