TEHRAN (FNA)- Irans Drug Combat Squads have seized more than 1,800 kilograms of opium in 12 separate operations in the Southern Fars province in the last three days, a provincial police commander announced on Tuesday.With the help of the law enforcement forces of Larestan, Darab, Khorrambid, Nourabad, Marvdasht and Zarqan, the anti-drug police forces of Fars province have discovered and seized 1.89315 of narcotics in 12 separate operations in the last 72 hours, Commander of Fars Law Enforcement Forces Brigadier General Sirous Sajjadian said today.
He underlined that all the seized narcotics were opium and drug traffickers were trying to transit them from Hormuzgan to Fars, Isfahan and Tehran provinces.
With disbanding two smuggling rings, 16 drug traffickers and dealers were arrested and 13 vehicles were also confiscated , added.
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. Eastern Iran borders Afghanistan, which is the worlds number one opium and drug producer.
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.
By Fars News Agency
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