900 'Suspects' Arrested in Shiraz Within 48 Hours

The deputy coordinator of the police force in Fars province announced the arrest of 900 'suspects' over two days in the city of Shiraz. According to a report from ISNA on Tuesday (September 6), Nasser Keshavarz made these statements at a press conference. These individuals were arrested on September 4 and 5 during the implementation of the 'Public Security Enhancement' plan in Shiraz. The police force in Fars province stated that this plan was executed with the aim of 'increasing public security and cleansing various parts of the city of criminals and individuals disrupting order and security.' Among those arrested are 39 thieves, 111 drug dealers, and 32 'suspects who engaged in gambling and disturbing the public.' During these two days, the police confiscated approximately 9 kilograms of various drugs, two military weapons, 27 hunting rifles, 136 rounds of ammunition, 110 kilograms of illegal powders, quantities of psychoactive pills, and 12 stolen vehicles. According to Mr. Keshavarz, during this two-day operation, 277 'illegal foreign nationals' were also arrested. He mentioned that 320 'illegal foreign nationals' self-reported and were arrested. The deputy coordinator of the police force in Fars province also reported the inspection of 147 suspicious homes in Shiraz. In another part of his remarks, he mentioned the implementation of special plans for the school reopening days and the first ten days of Muharram by the police, but did not provide details. Keshavarz also stated that addressing 'improper hijab' is among the priorities for the police in Fars province and Shiraz, asserting that 'any action or behavior that offends public decency is considered a visible crime, and the police are obliged to deal with it.' According to official statements from the Islamic Republic, the rate of social crimes in Iran, referred to as 'social harms,' has significantly increased, and the number of arrests related to these crimes confirms this issue. Despite heavy sentences for crimes such as murder, kidnapping, theft, and drug trafficking, officials have stated that at least in the case of drug trafficking, the execution of 'traffickers' in Iran has not been 'deterrent.' Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, recently stated that 18 million people in Iran are involved in social harms. Poverty is cited as one of the main causes of social crimes. Ali Akbar Siari, the Deputy Minister of Health, announced in late August that 30% of the Iranian population is 'hungry' and 25% of the urban population lives in 'marginalized' areas. This official stated that this 30% 'do not have bread to eat, and this statistic is also confirmed by the Ministry of Welfare.' In this context, the police prevented the implementation of the 'Car-Free Tuesdays' initiative in Tehran, formed a case related to the smuggling of 670,000 liters of alcohol in Kermanshah, and the police in Sistan and Baluchestan reported the 'destruction of two large terrorist networks.'