The Kayhan daily said the 12 were executed in the city of Mashhad after they
were convicted by an Islamic court of belonging to armed gangs of drug
smugglers. It did not say when the sentences were carried out.

Tehran said on Sunday police seized 503 kg (1,100 lb) of narcotics and
arrested one drugs smuggler in the province.

Iran is a key transit route for drugs, mostly opium from which heroin is
made, being smuggled to Europe via Turkey from Afghanistan and Pakistan
the socalled ``Golden Crescent.''

Tehran has said police seized 175 tonnes of drugs in the Iranian year which
ended on March 20.

Iranian officials say there are about half a million drug addicts in the
country. Media reports have put the number at up to a million.

According to Iranian law, possession of five kg (11 lb) of opium or 30 grams
(just over one ounce) of heroin is punishable by death. More than 1,000
people have been executed in drugrelated cases since the law took effect in
1989.

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