Over 170 tons of illicit drugs busted in SE Iran in 7 months

During the first seven months of the current year, more than 170 tons of various kinds of narcotics were seized by Iran's police and anti-narcotics forces in Sistan and Baluchestan province, said Brigadier General Ghasem Rezaei on Tuesday.

Some 130 major smugglers were also identified and arrested in the same period, he added.

According to Rezaei, the police forces have seized more than 4.600 tons of different kinds of illicit drugs in addition to the confiscation of some weapons and ammunition in the past 72 hours in Sistan and Baluchestan province.

He also added that 7 smugglers were arrested in this regard.

Being a neighbor to the biggest producer of drugs in the world has caused the Islamic Republic of Iran to shoulder a heavy burden as one of the main routes for drug transport.

Iran is at the forefront of the fight against drug trafficking and thousands of Iranian forces have been so far martyred to protect the world from the danger of drugs. Despite high economic and human costs, the Islamic Republic has been actively fighting drug trafficking over the past decades.

Iran has spent more than $700 million on sealing its borders and preventing the transit of narcotics destined for European, Arab, and Central Asian countries.

ZZ/5347316