The Police Chief of Sistan and Baluchistan Province Second Brigadier General Ahmad Taheri made the announcement on Tuesday, saying that following the intelligence activities of the police forces of Nikshahr, Iranshahr and Khash counties, a drug-trafficking band has been identified.
The smugglers fled to the highlands of the area using the darkness of the night when they found themselves ambushed and surrounded by police forces, he added.
Six smugglers have been arrested in this regard, he said, adding that the police forces seized 1.974 tons of opium and 164 kilograms of hashish in addition to confiscation of some 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.
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