SIX DIE IN IRANIAN DRUGS HAUL

Police in Iran say they have killed six drugs smugglers and seized 500
kilograms (1,100 lb) of morphine in a major haul in the north east of the
country.

They also captured one person and confiscated weapons and ammunition during
the operation on Saturday in the north eastern province of Khorasan, a
police source told the Reuters news agency.

The official Iranian news agency says the smugglers were moving drugs and
weapons from the Sistan-Baluchistan province near Iran's border with
Afghanistan and Pakistan, to markets in Turkey and Europe.

Iran is a major smuggling route for traffickers peddling drugs produced in
Afghanistan and Pakistan for sale in Europe and Gulf Arab states.

Crackdown

Last week, police seized four tonnes of opium during clashes in which
several traffickers were reported to have died in south-eastern Kerman
province.

It was the largest haul in the history of the province.

A police commander said the traffickers were also attempting to smuggle
arms and other drugs in three cars, one of which was destroyed in a shoot-out.

Earlier in the month police killed a smuggler and seized 750 kg (1,650 lb)
of opium and heroin in neighbouring Yazdi province.

Iran has stepped up operations against drug smugglers, spending nearly $20m
in 2000 in the fight against narcotics.

Police recovered 180 tonnes of opium that year, accounting for 85% of the
world's drug seizures.