Police seize over 1.2 tons of drugs in southeastern Iran

Iran’s Drug Combat Squads have seized over 1,200 kilograms of illicit drugs in two separate operations in the Southeastern city of Kahnouj, a provincial police commander announced on Saturday. “We have discovered and seized over 1.2 tons of narcotics from drug traffickers in two separate operations,” Commander of Kahnouj Police Colonel Abbas Khakinahad said today. “In the first operation more than 300 kilograms of opium was discovered and seized from a Peugeot 405 car in Kahnouj-Roudbar road,” he added. Colonel Khakinahad said that in the second operation the Kahnouj police forces discovered and seized a total of 902 kilograms of opium from a Xantia passenger car in Kahnouj-Roudbar road. Eastern Iran borders Afghanistan, which is the world's number one opium and drug producer. Iran's geographical position has made the country a favorite transit corridor for drug traffickers who intend to smuggle their cargoes from Afghanistan to drug dealers in Europe. Iran spends billions of dollars and has lost thousands of its police troops in the war against traffickers. According to official estimates, Iran's battle against drugs cost the country around $1 billion annually. Strategies pursued by Tehran include digging canals, building barriers and installing barbed wire to seal the country's borders, specially in the East.