Police dismantle drug gang in southeast

TEHRAN – Anti-drug police have disbanded a drug gang in Saravan district of the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, Border Police Commander Ahmad-Ali Goudarzi said.

According to Goudarzi, quoted by IRNA, 735 kilograms of narcotics were found in the region.

Border guards seized 465 kilograms of opium, 270 kilograms of hashish, a portable wireless device, a weapon and some other items. Also, two smugglers were killed and a vehicle was seized, he added.

By being actively present at the borders, border guards will prevent the illegal crossing of foreigners and drugs, which pose a danger to the health and lives of young people, Goudarzi stressed.

Undeniable performance

Considering that there are more than 1,180 types of narcotics worldwide, Iran’s achievements in the fight against illegal drugs are undeniable, an official from the counter-narcotics headquarters said.

According to a United Nations study, addiction is one of the biggest global challenges, along with poverty, weapons of mass destruction and environmental crises, IRNA quoted Alireza Kazemi as saying.

The official further said that the country’s efforts are focused on control, prevention and treatment. These efforts have changed the world’s attitude towards Iran in the fight against drugs.

UNODC and Japan support Iran

The smuggling routes affect many countries in the region, including Iran.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has established a robust partnership with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, focusing on capacity building for Iranian law enforcement agencies. UNODC provides technical assistance to Iran in its efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking and the smuggling of precursor chemicals.

As part of these efforts, trained drug-detection dogs are being deployed at border crossings and checkpoints with Afghanistan to search trucks, containers and cargo passing through legal crossing points, an Aug. 1 press release on the UN website said.

UNODC Iran also provided training sessions for the Iranian ANP dog trainers, who were trained by experienced international instructors. They were able to use their knowledge in their daily work at border crossings to search vehicles, containers and cargo.

The event was organised as part of the activities outlined under Sub-Programme1, with a specific focus on “Border Management and Illicit Trafficking”. This initiative is supported by generous funds provided by the Japanese government.

Alexander Fedulov, UNODC Country Representative in Iran, acknowledged the significant achievements of the Iranian Anti-Narcotics Police and their Drug Detection Dog Center. He indicated his readiness to provide further technical and procurement support once financial support is available from donor countries.

In July, UNODC in the Islamic Republic of Iran handed over four drug identification devices, obtained with generous support from the Government of Japan, during an official ceremony at the Drug Control Headquarters (DCHQ) premises in Tehran.

These devices, which will be used to control a wide range of drug trafficking, especially along Iran’s eastern borders with Afghanistan, were purchased under Sub-Programme 1 of the UNODC Country Partnership Programme (CPP) 2023-2026.

This official event was organized at the Counter-Drug Headquarters in Tehran, in the presence of Tamaki Tsukada, Ambassador of Japan to Iran, as a representative of the Japanese government.

Iran at the front

Iran has been the only country leading the war on drugs for more than 45 years, despite tough US sanctions, looming economic challenges and limited contributions from other countries.

With 4,000 martyrs in the fight against drugs, Iran is now self-sufficient in preventing addiction and has changed the balance of power in the region in favor of youth, IRNA reported.

Their sacrifice has not only secured the country’s borders, but also those of countries claiming democracy and human rights.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), approximately 35-40 percent of drugs produced in Afghanistan are smuggled through Iran to Europe and Western Asia.

However, thanks to the courage and perseverance of the anti-drug police, more than 75 percent of drugs are discovered and destroyed.

If Iran had not taken the necessary measures, such quantities of illegal drugs would have caused disasters in European and American countries.

In practice, logistical, material and financial sanctions, under the pretext of political sanctions, have left Iran as the sole party in the fight against the world’s largest drug trafficking axis.

According to official reports, Western countries have so far withheld even the smallest aid from Iran.

“The increase in sanctions has also cast a shadow on the fight against drugs, but we warn them that sanctions against drugs are the most unintelligent sanctions because they will lead to a decrease in security in the world,” IRNA quoted Iranian police chief Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Radan as saying.

Thanks to the expertise of Iranian elites and researchers, and the use of modern equipment and inventions from knowledge-driven companies, the counter-narcotics police have been able to achieve good results in finding drugs and arresting drug dealers.

Since drug-related crime is a transnational organised crime, no country can effectively fight drugs alone.

On April 17, Alireza Kazemi, an official at the anti-narcotics headquarters, said: “Iran is now self-sufficient in preventing addiction, treating addicts and combating narcotics.”

Despite unfair sanctions, knowledge-based companies have made significant scientific advances in combating the harms of addiction and drugs, making the country independent of foreign aid.

Domestically produced products used for treating drug addiction can be exported to other countries, even developed ones, he added.

The affordability and minimal side effects of these products have made them competitive with their foreign counterparts, and in some cases, they have even proven to be much more effective.

MT/MG