Al-Sudani: We have begun procedures to dismantle drug gangs and are ready to coordinate with neighbo

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[size=52]Al-Sudani: We have begun procedures to dismantle drug gangs and are ready to coordinate with neighboring countries... The final statement recommends addressing legal loopholes and benefiting from the experiences of advanced countries[/size]

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07/23/2024
During the work of the Second Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs...
Hussein Al-Saadi:
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani opened the work of the Second Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs, and while he confirmed that the government has begun procedures to dismantle drug gangs, indicating Iraq's readiness for joint coordination with neighboring countries, Minister of Interior Abdul Amir Al-Shammari stressed the need to conclude an international document to contain the scourge of drugs, while they conveyed the final statement of the conference, to address legal loopholes and benefit from the experiences of advanced countries to confront the danger of the scourge of drugs. The
Prime Minister's media office stated in a statement received by "Al-Zawraa": "Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani opened the work of the Second Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs, in which delegations at the level of interior ministers and anti-drug agencies from nine Arab and regional countries, the Secretary-General of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, and Naif University for Security Sciences are participating, in addition to the participation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Organized Crime."
The Prime Minister stressed “the importance of raising the level of coordination and joint cooperation in confronting these deadly toxins in societies and the economy, and their effects on the stability of the entire region,” noting that “Iraq is putting its expertise and intelligence capabilities, and in the field of combating terrorism, in the context of this constructive cooperation.”
The Prime Minister said in his speech during the conference: “Combating drugs is a responsibility borne by the state with all its apparatuses and arms, as well as by our societies with all their working legal titles.”
He explained that “drugs and psychotropic substances are a fundamental factor in instability in the region, and their threat is not limited to the harm they target young people, but rather means that the future as a whole falls within the circle of dangers.”
He pointed out that “the collusion between terrorism and drug gangs seeks to create isolated areas, beyond the control of the law, and aims to destabilize security and shake the stable foundations of societies.”
He added that “drugs have been used to recruit terrorists, in order to create an unsafe area, stop development and weaken homelands,” noting that “the effects of drugs are no different from wars, displacement and attempts to uproot peoples from their foundations, exactly as the ongoing aggression against Gaza and our Palestinian people aims to do.” He
continued that “the goal of drugs and terrorism is to spread conflict and expand the arenas of violence, to produce extremism and more refugees, as drugs are no longer just chemical drugs that play with the minds of some individuals and users, but rather a means to destroy societies from within.”
He added, “We have given this file special care and attention since the first day of our work, to protect society from a threat targeting youth and the moral and ethical foundation, as we have embarked on a series of measures and decisions aimed at dismantling the ability of criminal groups working on these toxins, and raising the level of community immunity, within a comprehensive national strategy to combat drugs.”
He continued, “By unifying efforts and enhancing joint coordination, we achieve the desired goal, which is for our societies to be free of this artificial social disease,” indicating that “drugs market crime, are promoted by outlaw gangs, and aim to create chaos and dissolution.”
He pointed out that "the goals of drug trafficking have been mixed with the terrorism it funds, and with hostile parties that do not hesitate to support crime to achieve failed political goals," stressing that "Iraqis have succeeded in fighting and defeating terrorism for two full decades, and they are ready to employ their expertise in the field of intelligence and joint security coordination to the fullest extent possible."
He stated that "coordination and cooperation to pursue and dismantle drug gangs will serve regional and international security, as Iraq is open to all cooperation or effort with brothers and friends."
He concluded, "We will support every effort aimed at eliminating the hotbeds of drug toxins and their manufacturing stations, cutting their chains, and bringing their perpetrators to justice, because it is a cross-border crime."
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari confirmed that the danger of drugs is increasing strongly, pointing to the need for an international document to contain the scourge of drugs.
Al-Shammari said, at the second Baghdad Regional International Conference on Combating Drugs, followed by “Al-Zawraa”: “The capital Baghdad welcomes brothers and friends and looks forward to getting rid of the danger of drugs,” indicating that “the scourge of drugs has become a specter haunting our youth.”
He added that “the danger of drugs is increasing strongly, so we need an international document to contain the scourge of drugs.”
Al-Shammari stressed “the need for cooperation and coordination to confront the danger of drugs,” indicating that “without fruitful cooperation, the threat of drugs will continue.”
He pointed out that “the Ministry of Interior has initiated many procedures and well-thought-out plans to pursue drug dealers,” stressing that “Iraq has overthrown big heads in the drug trade.” He pointed out
that “memoranda of understanding have been concluded with many countries to confront the phenomenon of drugs.”
In addition, the Prime Minister’s Media Office issued the text of the final statement of the second Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs, which was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
The closing statement received by Al-Zawraa stated: The participants in the Second Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs, which was held on July 22, 2024, met at the level of the Ministers of Interior; (the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Turkey, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Lebanese Republic, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the guests of honor were the Secretary-General of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, the President of Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, and representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
According to the statement, the participants in the conference expressed their thanks and appreciation for the efforts of the Republic of Iraq, the government and people, and the Ministry of Interior, for the good organization of the activities of the Second Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs.
Their Highnesses and Excellencies also discussed the dangerous situation resulting from the escalation in drug abuse and addiction rates regionally and internationally, which comes as a result of the increase in smuggling and trafficking operations, and discussed this phenomenon with a spirit of national and humanitarian responsibility and ways to confront it, and to find new mechanisms for this confrontation in a way that creates a state of integration that ultimately leads to the elimination of this dangerous scourge.
The participants stressed the need to unify joint regional and international efforts to enhance regional and global security to confront the challenge of the spread and smuggling of drugs and psychotropic substances, to protect societies from the danger of this scourge, realizing the inevitability of integrating security and intelligence work between our countries, which comes in response to the circumstances of the stage and the similar challenges and problems we face, in addition to the similarity of many laws, regulations, traditions and beliefs that reject and condemn this scourge, and encourage the establishment of institutions and the creation of agencies that limit the spread of this phenomenon and eliminate it.
The statement continued: Based on the human, historical, cultural and fraternal ties between our countries and peoples, and in continuation of the efforts to search for an ideal formula that enhances cooperation and joint coordination, and in the belief of all of us that the importance of this cooperation comes in response to the desires and aspirations of our peoples for a better and more beautiful future, and in continuation of the results and outcomes of the first Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs held last year, the participants in the conference recommended the following:
1. Strengthening joint work mechanisms and adopting the principle of integration in security work in order to cut off drug smuggling routes and prevent their cultivation and manufacture in various forms and to monitor, dismantle and eliminate gangs active in this field.
2. Updating databases of criminals and those wanted for drug and psychotropic substance trafficking in participating countries and protecting them from hacking to benefit from them in tracking and arresting this type of crime.
3. Adopting scientific methods and modern techniques, conducting parallel financial investigations, and utilizing technology in detection, tracking, monitoring, and seizing criminal evidence to ensure that criminals are brought to justice to receive their just punishment.
4. Intensifying efforts to monitor, track, and trace websites and social media sites that are active in the field of promoting and trading in drugs and psychotropic substances to limit their activity and prevent them from attracting weak-willed people to contribute to their criminal operations.
5. Activating and stimulating prevention mechanisms and preventing drift towards drug abuse or addiction by intensifying efforts to raise awareness of the dangers of this scourge and the harm it causes to individuals and society.
6. Addressing legal loopholes in the national legislation of participating countries (if any), and tightening penalties for synthetic drugs, to deprive gangs of the opportunity to trade in these substances from exploiting these loopholes to escape legal accountability and punishment for their despicable actions that destroy peoples and homelands.
7. Study the possibility of expanding the establishment of rehabilitation centers for drug addicts and users that contribute to ridding young people of addiction and exchanging experiences and expertise in dealing with the gaps that occur in the management of these centers in order to improve the efficiency of performance in them and achieve the goals for which these centers were established.
8. Participants appreciate the initiative of the Republic of Turkey in proposing the establishment of an early warning system on the latest developments in the drug file and its readiness to provide specialized training in the field of combating drugs to all participating countries.
9. Benefit from the lessons learned from the experiences of developed countries that have faced the danger of this scourge and adopt ideas, methods of dealing and mechanisms followed in a way that helps in developing mechanisms, methods and a special approach to confront the danger of drugs in a manner consistent with the reality of this scourge and the extent of its impact on our societies.
10. Emphasizing the continuation of work to implement the decisions of the Quadripartite Ministerial Meeting of Their Excellencies the Ministers of Interior (the Republic of Iraq, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Lebanese Republic) held in February 2024 by the aforementioned countries.
11. Emphasizing the continuation of work to implement the recommendations of the First Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs held in May 2023.[/size]
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