Pubdate: Mon, 02 Jul 2001
Source: Times of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan)
Section: Asia
Copyright: 2001 The Times of Central Asia
Contact:  http://www.times.kg/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1202

ONE TON OF NARCOTICS TO BE BURNT IN HORMUZGAN PROVINCE

BANDAR ABBAS - An official in the Hormuzgan Anti-Narcotics Committee 
Mansour Nabizadeh said here Saturday that one ton of drugs will be burnt in 
the southern province on Monday.

Speaking at a gathering of the committee, he said that the major portion of 
the haul consists of heroin and hashish which, he added, would be burnt 
publicly on the beach.

"The move is in line with efforts to raise public awareness of the drug 
menace and soothe a feeling of despair and disappointment vis-a-vis the 
anti-drug policy," he said.

Meawhile, half-a-ton of drugs were burned in a symbolic gesture in the 
central city of Yazd.

Iran is a major route for smuggling drugs from Afghanistan and Pakistan to 
markets in the Persian Gulf, Europe and beyond. Opium, heroin, hashish and 
morphine are hauled through the country and single busts involving a ton or 
more of drugs are not uncommon.

Iranian authorities stepped up surveillance along the country's borders by 
ordering the setting up of outposts and an electronically monitored barbed 
wire fence along the 945-kilometer border with Afghanistan. A budget of 200 
billion rials (dlrs 25 million) was allocated for the project.

Official reports say 3,100 Iranian police officers have been killed in 
drug-related battles throughout Iran over the past twenty years.
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