According to the released statement of the Iran intelligence ministry, through extensive operations carried out by the Intelligence Ministry forces, an international drug smuggling gang has been identified and dismantled in West Azarbaijan Province

Following an armed clash between the Intelligence Ministry forces and the smugglers, the European leader of the gang was killed and the other 7 key members of the gang who were trying to transfer the illicit drug consignment to European countries were arrested.

The Intelligence Ministry forces managed to confiscate 1,100 kilograms of heroin during the operation.

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.

Tehran has always asked for international help in such operations, noting that the other countries, especially European states, should take responsibility and play a positive role in this fight or face its threats themselves.

The issue of drugs is a global scourge and there is the need for wide-scale cooperation at the international level so as to tackle this problem. Therefore, the Islamic Republic of Iran has adopted an interactive approach with the global community concerning the issue of drugs and has virtually indicated that it spares no efforts in enhancing cooperation with other countries and international organizations in the campaign against illicit drugs.

On this basis, Iran has always voiced its resolve for countering illicit drugs and reducing its harms at the global level. Iran’s performance in countering drug trafficking has been effective in maintaining the security of different regions of the globe.

Secretary-General of Iran’s Drugs Control Headquarters General Eskandar Momeni made the announcement on Tuesday, saying that 950 tons of narcotics were seized in the country last year, which is unprecedented in the history of Iran and in the world, and Iran had the highest confiscation last year.

In Afghanistan, however, less than 300 tons of narcotics have been discovered, he added.

About 74 percent of drug discoveries were due to intelligence measures, and more than 76 percent of drug confiscations were in the east of the country, Momeni said, adding that all of these measures have been taken while Iran has been under sanctions.

Iran has been able to have the highest drug confiscation even in sanctions conditions, he noted.

International Deputy of Iran Drug Control Headquarters Nasser Aslani said on April 23 that some 17,765 kilograms of illicit drugs consisting of 15,339 kilograms of opium and 1,186 kilograms of hashish, 428 kilograms of heroin, 577 kilograms of crystal, 53 kilograms of grass, 67 kilograms of morphine, and 116 kilograms of other kinds of drugs have been confiscated by police forces across the country in the last week.

Based on the United Nations reports, Afghanistan ranks first as the producer of opium and heroin in the world. Iran, being Afghanistan’s neighbor, has always been the main route for smuggling narcotics to the Western world.

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.

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

The war on drug trade originating from Afghanistan has claimed the lives of nearly 4,000 Iranian police officers over the past four decades.