TEHRAN, Nov. 23 (MNA) – According to the International Deputy of Iran Drug Control Headquarters, over 26 tons of illicit drugs have been seized by Iran’s anti-narcotics police forces in the country in the last week.

Nasser Aslani broke the news on Monday, saying that 85 percent of drug confiscation has been carried out in 7 Iranian provinces, including Sistan and Baluchestan, South Khorasan, Kerman, Hormozagan, Yazd, and Khorasan Razavi respectively.

Some 26,163 kilograms of illegal drugs consisting of 21,214 kilograms of opium and 1,106 kilograms of hashish, 483 kilograms of grass, 432 kilograms of heroin, 165 kilograms of crystal, and 2,763 kilograms of other kinds of drugs have been seized by police forces across the country in the last week, he added.

The figure indicates an 85 percent increase compared to the corresponding period last year (14,092kg), said the official.

He added that 7,020 culprits have been arrested in this regard and of those arrested 4,155 smugglers have been handed to the judiciary officials.

According to Aslani, 414 vehicles and some weapons and ammunition seized in the same period by police forces.

Being a neighbor to the biggest producer of drugs in the world has caused the Islamic Republic of Iran to shoulder a heavy burden as one of the main routes for drug transport.

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.

Iran has spent more than $700 million on sealing its borders and preventing the transit of narcotics destined for European, Arab, and Central Asian countries.

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