Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25
By Fatih Karimov – Trend:
One Iranian border guard was killed in an armed clash with drug smugglers in south eastern province of Sistan and Balouchestan on Dec. 25 morning, Iranian police website said.
The clash was occurred near the Border Regiment of Saravan, where deputy commander of 129 commando Unit of Mok Sukhteh, major Rasoul Talebi was injured and passed away before arrival to hospital.
The Iranian security forces sized about two tons of drugs from the smugglers.
Two smugglers were also killed in the operation.
Iran’s police have seized over 400 tons of various drugs during the first half of the current fiscal year (March 20-Sept. 22), which indicates a rise by 11 percent year on year, according to the latest statistics of Iran Drug Control Headquarters.
The country sits on a major drug route between Afghanistan and Europe, as well as the Persian Gulf states. The Islamic Republic shares about 900 kilometers of common border with Afghanistan, over which 74 percent of opium is smuggled.
The fight against drug trafficking annually costs Iran about $1 billion, according to the official estimates.
According to the statistics, there are about two million drug users in Iran.