POLICE ARREST 40 DEALERS, SEIZE DRUGS IN SOUTHERN IRAN

BANDAR ABBAS, Hormuzgan Prov. Police have arrested 40 drug-traffickers,
including four women and seized some 500 kilos of narcotics in this
southern Persian Gulf port city over the past week, provincial police chief
General Hamid-Reza Hashemi said Friday.

Hashemi told IRNA that two assault rifles, a number of cellular phones,
cars and bullets were also seized from the group. He added that 217 addicts
were also rounded up.

Iran is a major crossing for smuggle in and of drugs from the war-torn
neighboring country of Afghanistan to Europe.

Although final destination of the drugs is Europe and western states, Iran
campaigns against drugs without no or insufficient aid from other countries
and the universal bodies.

The Iranian government spent nearly $20 million last year in the fight
against drug trafficking. It has armed thousands of villagers along its
eastern border as part of its strategy to combat drug trafficking.

Official reports say 3,100 Iranian police officers have been killed in
drug-related battles throughout Iran over the past 20 years.