Discovery of Thousands of Kilograms of Drugs in Iran

Media in Iran report the discovery of thousands of kilograms of various drugs over the past two days. ISNA news agency reported on Thursday, July 8, quoting Azizollah Maleki, the commander of the police force in Hormozgan, that in the first three months of this year, 16 tons and 158 kilograms of various drugs were discovered in this province. According to Maleki, this amount includes 12 tons and 975 kilograms of opium, three tons and 115 kilograms of hashish, 39 kilograms of heroin, and 27 kilograms and 525 grams of other substances. The police chief of Hormozgan also announced the arrest of nearly 6,600 homeless addicts and another 107 individuals, stating that '83 of them are major and primary drug traffickers.' ISNA also reported that Rouh-alamin Qasemi, the police chief of Semnan province, announced the discovery of 268 kilograms of drugs by the police in that province, stating: 'Special operations police succeeded in identifying and seizing vehicles carrying this amount of drugs on the highways of Isfahan province.' He added that during the inspection of the vehicles, '168 kilograms and 750 grams of opium and 98 kilograms and 500 grams of hashish' were discovered. This police official also reported the arrest of four individuals, one of whom 'was carrying drugs under the guise of a family.' Drug trafficking is one of the main crimes among prisoners in Iran, and it is rare for a day to pass without media reporting drug seizures by police in various parts of Iran. In this context, the state news agency IRNA reported on Thursday that 58 kilograms of opium were discovered and seized in Markazi province. According to Youssef Sepahvand, '53 kilograms of this substance was found hidden in a CNG capsule of a passenger car.' IRNA reported on Wednesday, July 7, that the police chief of Ilam province announced the discovery of 35 kilograms of drugs and the arrest of six traffickers in Dehloran county. Nourali Yari stated that since the beginning of this year, 'more than 170 kilograms of various drugs have been discovered in this province, which is a 130% increase compared to the same period last year.' This news agency also reported on July 6 that the deputy police chief of Greater Tehran announced the discovery of over five tons of drugs in the first three months of this year in Greater Tehran. According to Gholamali Karimi, these drugs include opium, hashish, crystal, heroin, morphine, and grass. He reported the arrest of 170 drug traffickers and the identification of 15 drug trafficking gangs during this period. The judiciary-affiliated news agency Mizan also reported that 'following an armed operation, 62 kilograms of opium were discovered from a residential house and a passenger car in Mashhad.' Despite the high execution rates of drug traffickers in Iran, drug trafficking has not decreased, and serious harm has been inflicted on the families of those executed. Judiciary officials have therefore decided to issue death sentences only for the main figures in the drug trafficking cycle and to consider alternative punishments for other offenders. According to official reports from the Islamic Republic, there are between 2.8 million and 3.5 million addicts in Iran. Most prisoners in Iran are arrested, tried, and imprisoned in connection with drug offenses.