Pubdate: Wed, 27 Jun 2001
Source: Times of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan)
Copyright: 2001 The Times of Central Asia
Contact:  http://www.times.kg/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1202

500 KGS. OF NARCOTICS DESTROYED IN TEHRAN

TEHRAN. In a symbolic ceremony on Tuesday, 500 kiolgrammes of narcotics was 
destroyed in the Khak-e-sefeed neighborhood in Tehran.

The neighborhood was once the center of drug traffickers and consumers in 
Tehran but was cleaned up by police forces in a massive operation a few 
months ago.

The ceremony marking June 26, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and 
Illicit Trafficking was attended by Parliamentary Speaker Mehdi Karroubi 
and a group of diplomatic corps in Tehran.

The Director of Anti-Drug Headquarters Mohammad Fallah told the gathering 
that in spite of extensive struggle against drug trafficking and many 
martyrs who have given their lives in this way, the problem has not yet 
been solved in the world.

Fallah said 141 members of Iran's armed forces were martyred in fighting 
against drug traffickers in the Iranian year 1379 which ended March 21 and 
Over 30,000 members of the armed forces are currently fighting against drug 
trafficking in borders.

He said all countries should cooperate with each other so that the 
international problem of narcotics can be removed.

In a separate meeting on Tuesday Fallah said Security forces and the police 
killed some 1,083 drug traffickers in the last Iranian year.

He said some 1,087 cases of kidnapping by armed bandits and drug 
traffickers were reported and 227,000 people were arrested in drug-related 
incidents during the period.

He also said that drug consumption took the lives of 1,378 people while 
5,433 people who had ingested drugs were arrested in the period. Fallah 
said that drug traffickers sometimes try to dodge police checks by 
ingesting narcotic packs.

Iran is a major route for drugs originating from Afghanistan or Pakistan on 
their way to markets in the Persian Gulf, Europe and beyond.

The Iranian government spent nearly $20 million last year in the fight 
against drug trafficking, and has armed thousands of villagers along its 
eastern border to help combat traffickers.

Official reports say 3,100 Iranian police officers have lost their lives in 
drug-related battles throughout Iran over the past twenty years.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager