Iranian police seize over 1 ton of narcotics in northeastern province

Iran's drug combat squads have seized more than 1 ton of narcotics in the Northeastern province of Khorassan Razavi in the current Iranian year (started March 21), a provincial police chief announced on Wednesday.Speaking to reporters in Iran's Northeastern city of Mashhad, Khorassan Razavi Police Chief Bahman Amiri Moqaddam said that over 1 ton of illicit drugs has been seized across the province since the start of this year.The commander noted that 469 drug traffickers have been arrested and drug gangs busted in the said period.Eastern Iran borders Afghanistan, which is the world's number one opium and drug producer. Iran's geographical position has made the country a favorite transit corridor for drug traffickers who intend to smuggle their cargoes from Afghanistan to drug dealers in Europe.Meantime, Iran leads international efforts in fighting drug networks and narcotic traffickers. According to the statistical figures released by the UN, Iran ranks first among the world countries in preventing entry of drugs and decreasing demand for narcotics.Each year, the government spends hundreds of millions of dollars erecting barriers along the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan and pumping resources into checkpoints. Officials said the battle against drug addiction and trafficking costs Iran US$1 billion a year.