BAGHDAD, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Iraq foiled an offshore drug smuggling plot in its territorial waters, seizing 90 kg of hashish and detaining three foreign suspects, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
The operation, carried out by the General Directorate of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Affairs alongside the Iraqi naval forces and military intelligence, was launched based on cross-border intelligence from a neighboring country, the statement said.
Security forces tracked the boat's movements over a 24-hour monitoring operation before intercepting it and detaining three foreign suspects on board, while search operations remain underway to apprehend a fourth suspect who escaped during the raid, according to the statement.
Hashish, a highly potent form of cannabis, is made from the dried resin glands of the Cannabis plant.
On Tuesday, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said that the Iraqi military intelligence forces intercepted a drug smuggling attempt in the country's western desert, seizing about 250,000 narcotic pills.
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 key source of funding for terrorism. ■
