TEHRAN (Tasnim) � Iran's anti-narcotics police chief announced that his forces have managed to seize 700 kilograms of illicit drugs in the eastern city of Birjand, the provincial capital of South Khorasan.

"Last night, our colleagues in the province seized 700 kg narcotics in two operations," Brigadier General Ali Moayyedi said during a press conference on Monday.

He further said that since the beginning of the current Iranian year (which started on March 210), 175 tons of illicit drugs have been seized across the country.

The commander added that the amount of seizures has jumped by 25 percent compared to the same period last year.

In recent decades, Iran has been hit by drug trafficking, mainly because of its 936- kilometer shared border with Afghanistan, which produces more than 90% of the world�s opium.

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Islamic Republic is netting eight times more opium and three times more heroin than all other countries in the world combined.

The war on drug trade originating from Afghanistan has claimed the lives of nearly 3,700 Iranian police officers over the past 30 years.

By Tasnim News Agency