BAGHDAD, April 15 (Xinhua) -- 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.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry said in November last year that the country had dismantled 1,201 drug trafficking and distribution networks over the past three years, including 171 international rings, and had seized more than 14 tonnes of narcotics. ■
