Ghanbari broke the news on Friday, saying police forces of Iranshahr County, in collaboration with anti-narcotics police forces of Sistan and Balouchestan province, identified a smuggling gang that was trying to transfer opioid consignment from the border areas to the central parts of Iran.
He added that following an armed clash between the police and the smugglers, the police forces arrested two of the drug smugglers while seizing 3,532 kg of opium, 202 kg of hashish, and a number of weapons and ammunition.
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.
ZZ/5026624