MNA � Iran�s Intelligence Ministry announced that its forces have dismantled five international drug trafficking bands in the northwest of the country, seizing a considerable amount of heroin.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Iran�s Intelligence Ministery reported that its forces in the West Azarbaijan province have dismantled five drug trafficking bands through a chain of operations.

More than six tons of required materials for producing heroin and 385kg of heroin has been seized in operations, the statement reads, adding that 11 people have been arrested in this regard, some of which have European citizenship.

The raw materials for producing heroin was being imported to Iran from Europe via Bazargan border terminal while heroin shipment was heading Europe.

Iran is in 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.

Some 403 tons of narcotics have been seized in Iran since the beginning of the Iranian calendar year (starting March 21, 2018), chief of the National Drug Control Agency Massoud Zahedian said on mid-October. �Iran holds the world�s record in seizing narcotics. Over the past 9 months, 1290 drug trafficking groups were (also) disbanded,� Tehran Times quoted him as saying.