Al-Zamili: Oil smuggling operations organized by oil companies and influential mafias are costing Iraq millions

The First Deputy Speaker Mr. Hakim al-Zamili chaired an expanded meeting of the Parliamentary Committees on Oil & Energy and Security & Defence, during which the Energy Police Commander, Major General Ghanem Muhammad, and a number of leaders and officers in the Police Command were hosted, in the presence of representatives of the security guards affiliated with the Oil and Energy Police.

During the hosting, which was held at the request of MP Haider Al-Mansoori, al-Zamili remarked that there is solid information that the smuggling of oil derivatives accounts for half of Iraq’s actual oil wells, which means wasting huge financial resources that go to mafias and specialists, including international companies.

Al-Zamili also stated while the sabotage of energy towers was at times carried out by terrorists, this amounted to just a small amount of the damage. He alleged the majority of sabotage was carried out by gangs connected to contractors and investors who were using the damage to obtain profitable contracts for reconstruction.

He called on the legislature and executive branches to take responsibility for the situation and to support the security forces in order to put an end to these breaches that threaten the economy of Iraq.

 The First Deputy Speaker Media office

5/5/2022