Police Chief of Sistan and Balouchestan province Brigadier General Mohammad Ghanbari said on Saturday that 2,390 kilograms of different drugs were seized when the police force busted a gang attempting to smuggle the drugs into the country through Saravan borders.

The smuggled cargo was carried by two cars commuting in Saravan-Khash road, he added.

1,927 kg of opium, 436 kg of hashish, and 53 kg of other types of drugs have been seized during the operation, in addition to confiscation of some amount of ammunition, he said.

According to the police chief, the smugglers fled to the highlands of the area using the darkness of the night.

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.

The Islamic Republic has been actively fighting drug-trafficking over the past three decades, despite its high economic and human costs. The war on drug trade originating from Afghanistan has claimed the lives of nearly 4,000 Iranian police officers over the past four decades. The country has spent more than hundreds of millions of dollars on sealing its borders and preventing the transit of narcotics destined for European, Arab and Central Asian countries.

Commander of Sistan and Baluchestan Border police Guards Colonel Mohammad Mollashahi said on Monday that some 834 kilograms of narcotics were seized in two separate operations in the province, one in Saravan.

Some 505 kilograms of opium were confiscated last night when the police force entered a gun battle with a gang attempting to smuggle the drugs into the country through the southern border, he said.

According to Mollashahi, the smugglers escaped using the darkness of the night.

Following a series of intelligence operations, 304 kilograms hashish and 30 kilograms opium were seized in another operation, he said.

Three smugglers have been arrested in this regard and handed over to the judicial officials and two vehicles along with a number of different weapons were captured, he added.

Over 20 tons of different illicit drugs were captured in Sistan and Baluchestan province during the past month.

The Islamic Republic has been actively fighting drug-trafficking over the past three decades, despite its high economic and human costs. The war on drug trade originating from Afghanistan has claimed the lives of nearly 4,000 Iranian police officers over the past four decades. The country has spent more than hundreds of millions of dollars on sealing its borders and preventing the transit of narcotics destined for European, Arab and Central Asian countries.

The Police Chief of Kerman Province Second Brigadier General Abbas Ali Mohammadian said on Monday that following comprehensive intelligence activities, the police forces of the province confiscated 2.602 tons of opium in collaboration with police forces of Alborz Province during an operation which was destined to Tehran and Alborz provinces from southern Iran.

The police forces tracked the haul of the illicit drugs in a fuel tanker, he added.

Two smugglers were arrested and have been handed over to the judicial officials, he said.

The police chief noted that the illegal load had entered Kerman province from the eastern provinces, which border Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Islamic Republic has been actively fighting drug trades originating from Afghanistan in the past four decades, despite its high economic and human costs. The country has spent more than hundreds of millions of dollars on sealing its borders and preventing the transit of narcotics destined for European, Arab and Central Asian countries.

According to reports, in 2018 alone, Iranian forces carried out 1,557 operations against drug traffickers, seizing approximately 807 tons of different types of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Some 2,380 kilograms of different drugs were seized during clashes between the Iran’s anti-narcotics police forces and smugglers attempting to smuggle the drugs into the country through Mirjaveh borders, said Commander of Sistan and Baluchestan Border Guards Colonel Mohammad Mollashahi.

According to the police chief, 2,287 kilograms of opium and 100 kilograms of hashish were confiscated during the operation.

Four smugglers have been arrested in this regard and handed over to the judicial officials and two vehicles along with a number of different weapons were captured, he added.

In another operation, the police forces of Hormozgan Province have dismantled a drug trafficking band that carried drugs from Hasht Bandi city to Minab, said Police Chief of Hormozgan Province Second Brigadier General Gholamreza Jafari.

The busted consignment contained 634 kilograms of opium, he added, saying that two criminals were also detained during the operation.

The Islamic Republic has been actively fighting drug-trafficking over the past three decades, despite its high economic and human costs. The war on drug trade originating from Afghanistan has claimed the lives of nearly 4,000 Iranian police officers over the past four decades. The country has spent more than hundreds of millions of dollars on sealing its borders and preventing the transit of narcotics destined for European, Arab and Central Asian countries.

The Second Brigadier General Abodolreza Nazeri said on Saturday that in continuation of measures to combat fuel smuggling, police forces of Kerman Province have been seized 30,000 liters of smuggled fuel in Rigan County.

One tank-truck consisted of smuggled diesel fuel were seized, he said, adding that the smuggler has been also arrested in the operation and handed to judiciary officials.

Fuel smuggling is affecting the country’s economy gravely, he added, saying that for this reason, the police are seriously dealing with fuel smuggling.

Fuel, especially diesel, is being moved illegally out of the country through cities bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey, says Alireza Zeighami, deputy oil minister for refining and distribution. Between 7 million-10 million liters of petrol and diesel are smuggled out every day, according to Iranian state media. Analysts are attributing a 7 percent rise in fuel consumption to an increase in smuggling activity.

Days ago some Traffic arrested in Eastern Iran. Colonel Saeed Dadgar earlier said that Birjand highway patrol officers suspected a tank-truck and stopped it at the checkpoint of Birjand-Mashhad road.

The tank-truck consisted of 14,100 smuggled diesel fuel were seized, he said, adding that the smuggler has been also arrested in the operation and handed to judiciary officials.

19,000 smuggled fuels have been seized by forces of the province in the first half of the current year (March 21-September 22), which indicates a growth in comparison with the corresponding period of last year, he added.

Fuel smuggling is affecting the country’s economy gravely, he added, saying that for this reason, the police are seriously dealing with fuel smuggling.