Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 15
By Umid Niayesh- Trend:
Iran has seized some 10 tons of heroin in current year, deputy chief of Iran's anti-drug police Brigadier general Morteza Mirzaei said, IRNA news agency reported on Dec. 15.
He made the remarks in a meeting with head of European Parliament Committee for relations with Iran Tarja Cronberg.
The European countries were the final destination of the seized heroin, Mirzaei said adding that Iran has also seized 10 tons of morphine from drug smugglers during the period.
He also underlined that fight against drug trafficking needs serious international cooperation.
"If the European countries cooperate with Iran on the issue, they will benefit the results of fighting against the drug trafficking as well as Iran and regional countries," Mirzaei said.
Cronberg, in her turn, praised the Iran's endeavours in counter narcotics fields.
She underlined that the EU and Iran will compile a cooperation strategy in near future.
The European Union is ready to boost relations with Iran in the areas of parliamentary affairs and counter-narcotics efforts, Cronberg added.
Iran lies on a major drug route between Afghanistan and Europe, as well as the Persian Gulf states. The Islamic Republic shares about 900 kilometers of a common border with Afghanistan, through which about 74 percent of opium is smuggled.
According to official estimates, fight against drugs annually cost Iran about $1 billion. The statistics also say that there are about 2 million of drug users in Iran