Organized Crime Department: Gangs deceive Iraqis and send them away to steal their organs

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[size=52]Organized Crime Department: Gangs deceive Iraqis and send them away to steal their organs[/size]

[size=45]The Director of Operations of the Anti-Organized Crime Department in Iraq, Brigadier General Hussein Al-Tamimi, told Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that the Iraqi security forces have achieved great progress in combating human trafficking and organized crime throughout the country, confirming the arrest of hundreds of those involved in human trafficking operations since the beginning of this year 2023.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Tamimi explained, in an exclusive interview with Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed, that “trafficking in human beings and human organs is declining in Iraq as security forces combat networks and groups involved in it,” adding that “many cases include attempts to sell kidneys, and the targets are people who acknowledge that they are in need.” “For money or others who pretend that they are donating to patients whose lives are in danger.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Tamimi referred to “people who submitted reports stating that they were subjected to drugging and that organs were stolen from their bodies.” However, during the investigations, it was proven that most of them did so of their own free will and then backed down. These cases are generally few.”[/size]
[size=45]He continued: “We have also proven that gangs linked to entities outside the country deceive people into traveling for various purposes and then steal their organs. In turn, these are few cases.”[/size]
[size=45]The Director of Operations of the Organized Crime Department explained, “With regard to the people arrested by our directorate on charges of human trafficking, as well as begging because it falls under the heading of trafficking, from the beginning of 2023 until the end of August, they amounted to 795 accused,” explaining that “the penalty It carries a penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of 15 million Iraqi dinars (about 11,300 US dollars).[/size]
[size=45]Regarding the drug crisis, smuggling crimes, and price speculation, Al-Tamimi said in his interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that “1,571 tons of smuggled medicines or prepared for smuggling were seized until the end of last July,” adding, “There is high-level coordination between us and the Ministry of Health in dealing with With this file, a mechanism was established to track and prosecute the crime in the medicines file.”[/size]
[size=45]He stated that “the percentage of smuggled medicines entering Iraq without examination was previously up to 70 percent.” Currently, all medicines entering Iraq are subject to examination, and any attempt to introduce smuggled medicines is thwarted by security forces.” In this context, he pointed out that they were also able, “through coordination with the Kurdistan region of Iraq, to ​​close all the outlets through which smuggled medicines were leaking.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Tamimi spoke about Iraq’s accession to the United Nations Convention against Organized Crime in 2007, which “allowed for agreements to be concluded with Arab countries and European Union countries, through which information was exchanged, paving the way for the arrest of those involved in crimes that fall within the heading of organized crime inside and outside Iraq.” “.[/size]
[size=45]Last week, the Iraqi authorities announced the thwarting of the sale of a minor girl by her father, for five thousand US dollars, in the capital, Baghdad, confirming the arrest of the man.[/size]
[size=45]The crime of human trafficking is one of the crimes that has been active in Iraq in recent years, and repeated incidents have been recorded in this context, amid calls for Iraqi security to tighten the prosecution of groups that engage in human trafficking, through begging, prostitution, and selling organs.[/size]
[size=45]Last August, the Iraqi Human Rights Commission announced an agreement with international organizations to combat human trafficking in the country, explaining that within this framework, joint field and educational action plans and strategies had been developed.[/size]
[size=45]Iraqi law defines human trafficking as “any recruitment, transportation, harboring, or receipt of persons through the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, kidnapping, fraud, deception, or abuse of power, or by giving or receiving sums of money to obtain the approval of a person in authority.” Or guardianship over another person for the purpose of sale, exploitation, forced labor, slavery, begging, or trading in human organs.” Iraqi law imposes prison sentences in addition to financial fines on human traffickers.[/size]
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