ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian security forces seized over 50 kilograms of narcotics across two cities of the West Azerbaijan province, an official from the Kurdish city of Mahabad told state media.
“50 kilograms of various types of traditional and synthetic narcotics were discovered and seized during two operations in this county,” Yusuf Ashrafi, the head of the Mahabad police told IRNA.
The security forces confiscated three vehicles and arrested three suspects for distributing the narcotics, according to Ashrafi.
Tehran has heavily cracked down on drug trade in recent years, carrying out an alarming number of executions. Former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in April 2023 described his country as “at the forefront of the fight against drugs.”
In September, Iran seized two tons and 200 kilograms of methamphetamine, 993 kilograms of opium, and 193 kilograms of marijuana, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported citing Commander of Border Police, Ahmad-Ali Goudarzi.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) describes illicit drugs as a major challenge for Iran due to its geographical location and porous border with neighbors.
In Iran, many people are executed on drug-related offenses, which Amnesty International in June called a “deadly war on the poor” that targets disadvantaged and marginalized communities.
Executions also frequently follow convictions that are based on confessions condemned by rights groups as often obtained under duress.
Amnesty attributed the surge in executions mainly to Tehran’s strict anti-narcotic policies. The watchdog recorded 481 drug-related executions, making up 56 percent of the total number of executions in 2023.
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