Organ trafficking ring busted in Baghdad sting

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Two suspects wanted on human organ trafficking charges were arrested in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, under Article 18 of the Human Organ Transplant Law, a security source told Shafaq News on Sunday.

According to the source, the suspects were lured into a trap at a resort in Kadhimiya before being handed over to the anti-human trafficking unit for further investigation.

Iraq’s Strategic Center for Human Rights previously noted that the number of human trafficking victims in the country has reached 2,300 over the past three years, with authorities dismantling more than 1,800 criminal networks and individuals involved in trafficking and forced begging.

Despite the implementation of Iraq’s Anti-Human Trafficking Law No. 28 of 2012 and the establishment of specialized national committees and victim shelters, the center pointed out that significant challenges remain. The US Department of State’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons report places Iraq on the “Tier 2 Watch List,” indicating progress in some areas while underscoring the need for stronger law enforcement, broader investigative reach, higher prosecution rates, and expanded support for victims.