The 9ft crime boss: Puzzle over doctored mugshot released by Iraq
Celebrating the arrest of a wanted crime boss in Iraq , Australian police commissioner Krissy Barrett urged members of Kazem Hamad's drug gang to "look long and hard" at a photo of him in custody. But it seemed her department might not have done the same, as the photo of Hamad suggested he was almost 9ft (2.74m) tall - which would make him the world's tallest man. The photo showed obvious signs…
Australian police commissioner Krissy Barrett expressed concern over a mugshot released by Iraqi authorities, claiming the photo showed Kazem Hamad, a sought-after crime boss, to be nearly 9 feet tall, a height that would make him the world's tallest man. The image contained noticeable signs of AI manipulation, with the height chart appearing nonsensical and using bizarre numbers.
Iraq does not use feet and inches for height measurements. A second photo of Hamad appeared oddly different, leading to embarrassment for Australian police, who had received the photo from Iraqi authorities. An investigation revealed that Hamad had allegedly been abused in Iraqi custody, with the altered photo intended to conceal evidence.
Iraqi authorities did not comment on the matter. The arrest of Hamad, who was handed a life sentence for drug trafficking in July 2023, was reported in February 2023 after Australian officers traveled to Iraq to gather essential investigative information. While Hamad was once deemed one of the world's most dangerous men due to his involvement in smuggling heroin and importing drugs into both Iraq and Australia, his arrest reportedly led to a lack of leadership, infighting, and dysfunction within the syndicate, potentially opening new opportunities for investigators.
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