Over 110 mt of drugs from Afghanistan have been seized inside and at the eastern borders of Iran in the last five months, the radio station ‘Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran’ reported on Wednesday. That was a 20 mt, or 22 percent, increase on the amount seized during the same period last year, with Afghanistan’s drought having increased the level of exports of the cash crop, it quoted acting Law Enforcement Force [LEF] commander Ansari as saying.
The estimated cost to Iran of funding anti-drug forces and sniffer dogs was around one billion rials (over US $500,000) a year, he said. Iran intended to construct electric barriers along its eastern borders (with Afghanistan) to help in its fight against drugs, Ansari added.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
Share this article