Discovery of Over 30 Billion Rials of 'Smuggled Currency' at Mehran Border

Gholam Sahraei, the commander of the 'Mehran' border regiment in Ilam province, announced the discovery and seizure of 30 billion and 250 million rials of 'smuggled currency' in this county. On Tuesday, December 1st, he told the local website 'Avaye Mehran' that this shipment was discovered and confiscated from inside a Peugeot vehicle at a border checkpoint. He also reported the arrest of 'a smuggler' in this regard, adding that the individual's case has been handed over to judicial authorities. Yadollah Sharafi, the deputy of Ilam border guards, also stated in an interview with ISNA that this shipment had entered Iran from Iraq and was seized by border guards. The Mehran international border is the closest border for the exchange of goods and movement to Iraq, which is heavily monitored by Iranian forces. Iraq is mentioned as one of the most important entry points for smuggled goods and currency into Iran. Alireza Jamshidi, head of the Government Trading Regulation Organization, had assessed the value of smuggled goods in the Iranian economy at '20 billion dollars' in November of this year. According to Mr. Jamshidi, for every one billion dollars of smuggled foreign goods entering the country, 100,000 job opportunities are lost. On March 7, 2015, Reuters also reported the entry of at least one billion dollars from Iraq into Iran aimed at 'bypassing Western sanctions.' This news agency stated that this money passed through currency exchange dealers and front companies in Dubai and Iraq before entering Iran.