Iraq, smuggled amounts of Syrian Lira thwarted
Shafaq News/ A security source in the Iraqi police reported onThursday evening that a truck loaded with large amounts of Syrian pounds hadbeen seized.
The source informed Shafaq News that a forcefrom Kirkuk police, after receiving intelligence about the presence of largequantities of Syrian currency on a truck, set up an ambush for the vehicle onthe Kirkuk – Sulaymaniyah road.
The source clarified that "the truck wascoming from Al-Qaim in Anbar heading towards Sulaymaniyah."
The truck was seized by a specialized team,and the smuggled amount is being counted, following the arrest of the truckdrivers.
Additionally, the Najaf Airport bordercontrol department managed to seize 200 million Syrian Lira possessed by Iraqipassengers.
Currency smuggling, particularly thesmuggling of US dollars, remains one of the major security and economicchallenges in Iraq.
Last August, the Security and DefenseCommittee in the Iraqi parliament announced that it had gained control overcurrency smuggling gangs by 80%, after delivering "targeted strikesagainst money smuggling mafias in Iraq."
