Iran seizes largest narcotics despite US sanctions on equipment: Envoy

• | Print |
•  Email

User Rating:  / 0

Details

Parent Category: سرویس اصلی

Category: Main News

Hits: 283

Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Kazem Gharibabadi said on Saturday that Iran has been discovering and seizing the largest amount of narcotics, despite US sanctions on equipment to intercept the contraband.

At the meeting of the Narcotics Commission on the occasion of the United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Gharibabadi said that despite high economic and human costs, Iran has been actively fighting drug-trafficking over the past four decades.

He added that through 2,319 clashes with drug traffickers, Islamic Republic of Iran dismantled 1,886 gangs and networks involved in the transit and supply of narcotic drugs. Brave and courageous Iranian anti-drug agents were martyred and injured while fighting with traffickers.

He further highlighted Iran’s unflagging battle with drugs despite the illegitimate unilateral sanctions imposed by the US, saying Iran seized more than 950 tons of drugs such as heroin and morphine (47,000 kg) methamphetamine (17,000 kg) last year alone. This amount of seizures shows a nearly 20% increase in the volume of discoveries compared to before, which is an unprecedented achievement in the history of Iran and the world.

Gharibabadi made suggestions such as the implementation of development projects and prioritization of alternative livelihood programs, elimination of all obstacles including unilateral coercive measures, providing equipment and technical assistance and transfer of advanced technologies for effective counter-narcotics, blocking the entry of the process of drug revenues into the international financial system, exchanging experiences in the field of demand reduction, support for anti-crime and drug activities as well as initiatives in the field of border control management for the effective strengthening of the global anti-narcotics campaign.

London, June 27, IRNA -2020

UN hails Iran's fight against drugs

• | Print |
•  Email

User Rating:  / 0

Details

Parent Category: سرویس اصلی

Category: Main News

Hits: 307

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Office in Tehran hailed Iran's efforts to participate in the global fight against narcotics, saying that the office tries to elevate the level of cooperation with Iran in this area.

Alexander Fedulov, UNODC's representative in Tehran, said on Tuesday that Iran's effort in drug confiscation is considerable as it seizes 90 percent of opium, 26 percent of heroin, and 48 percent of morphine in the global scale as stated in UNODC's 2020 report.

Fedulov who was speaking in a meeting held through a video conference marking International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, noted that over 500,000 people across the world die of drug abuse every year.

Mentioning the theme of World Drug Day 2020 which is "Better Knowledge for Better Care", Fedulov also said the UNODC would endeavor to well reflect the theme in the world.

The conference was also attended by Iran's Drug Control Headquarters Secretary-General Eskandar Momeni, head of the Anti-Drug Committee of Iran's police force General Qassem Rezaei and Deputy Attorney General Saeed Omrani.

Tehran, June 23, IRNA - 2020

US sanctions, politicization affecting intl. coop. in fight against drug trafficking: Lotfi

• | Print |
•  Email

User Rating:  / 0

Details

Parent Category: سرویس اصلی

Category: Main News

Hits: 290

Director-General of International Relations Office of Drug Control Headquarters of Iran said that the US sanctions, politicization, and selective approach have adversely affected the concept of international cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking.

Being a neighbor to the biggest producer of drugs in the world has caused the Islamic Republic of Iran to shoulder a heavy burden as one of the main routes for drug transport.

Iran is at the forefront of the fight against drug trafficking and thousands of Iranian forces have been so far martyred to protect the world from the danger of drugs. Despite high economic and human costs, the Islamic Republic has been actively fighting drug trafficking over the past decades.

Iran has spent more than $700 million on sealing its borders and preventing the transit of narcotics destined for European, Arab, and Central Asian countries.

The war on drug trade originating from some regional countries has claimed the lives of nearly 4,000 Iranian police officers over the past four decades.

According to reports, in 2018 alone, Iranian forces carried out 1,557 operations against drug traffickers, seizing approximately 807 tons of different types of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Tehran has always asked for international help in such operations, noting that the other countries, especially European states, should take responsibility and play a positive role in this fight or face its threats themselves.

The issue of drugs is a global scourge and there is the need for wide-scale cooperation at the international level so as to tackle this problem. Therefore, the Islamic Republic of Iran has adopted an interactive approach with the global community concerning the issue of drugs and has virtually indicated that it spares no efforts in enhancing cooperation with other countries and international organizations in the campaign against illicit drugs.

On this basis, Iran has always voiced its resolve for countering illicit drugs and reducing its harms at the global level. Iran's performance in countering drug trafficking has been effective in maintaining the security of different regions of the globe.

On the occasion of ‘International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’, which is observed annually on 26 June, we reached out to Dr. Amir Abbas Lotfi, Director General of International Relations Office of Drug Control Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran to know more about Iran’s role in the fight against drug trafficking.

Here are the comments that he shared with Mehr News Agency.

“The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is the United Nation specialized agency dealing with drugs and crimes. Based on UNODC annual report, more than 70 percent of opiates global seizure is made by Iran Law Enforcement Agencies,” said Lotfi.

“During the past Iranian year (beginning 20 March 2019), Iran’s drug seizure has been exceeded more than 950 tons of different types of narcotics and psychotropic substances,” he added.

Lotfi went on to say, “This number shows a 20 percent increase as compared to the last year’s corresponding period. It also indicates a kind of achievement and a new record for Iran Law Enforcement Agencies due to the fact that it was the first time throughout the history of Iran ‘s fight against world drug trafficking.”

“This was consisting of 808 tons of opiates (opium, heroin, and morphine) and almost 17 tons of methamphetamine (crystal). It’s noteworthy; this year’s methamphetamine seizure shows more than 200 percent increase since the last year,” he said.

“Iran is the main partner to the UNODC’s policy and programs in West Asia. Also due to the tremendous endeavors that Iran made in this way, UNODC executive directors repeatedly called Iran as a flag-bearer of international fight against drugs,” the Iranian official noted.

Lotfi continued, “Those have been said, we acknowledge that global problems merit global solutions. Therefore, we are of the view that the international community and every party to international conventions should do its role, based on the principle of ‘shared responsibility’ to create a better future and drug-free world.”

“UNODC is a UN specialized agency dealing with drugs and crimes. The anti-drug international regime is based on three international conventions, which the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) as a quasi-judicial body is acting like a guardian and monitoring international compliance toward these three conventions. Iran has established strong ties with UNODC,” he said.

“Its office in Tehran has started its work since 1999 and implemented four rounds of partnership joint programs with the relevant government bodies,” Lotfi added.

The Iranian official went on to say, “This year (2020), we will finalize the fourth program and by 2021, we will enter the fifth phase of the program.”

“As I mentioned earlier, coping with humanitarian challenges like drug abuse and smuggling are relied on international cooperation," he stressed.

“Unfortunately, sanctions of the US, politicization, and selective approach have adversely affected the concept of international cooperation in this sphere along with other humanitarian issues,” Lotfi added.

TEHRAN, Jun. 26 (MNA) –2020

Iran anti-narcotic measures unrivaled in world

• | Print |
•  Email

User Rating:  / 0

Details

Parent Category: سرویس اصلی

Category: Main News

Hits: 288

Head of anti-drug committee says that the anti-narcotic campaign being carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran Police is unrivaled in the world.

General Qassem Rezaei made the remarks on Tuesday in his address to a meeting held through a video conference marking International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Representative in Iran Alexander Fedulov was also present in the online meeting.

Iran's unrivaled anti-narcotic activities are aimed at bringing about peace to people and humanity, Brigadier-General Rezaei said.

He said that during operations against illicit drug traffickers, Iran has lost lives of over 3,800 of its security and army officers.

Presently, all know that Iran is pioneer in combat against drug trafficking, he noted.

However, the country expects Western states to support their people because illicit drug is used by arrogant powers as terrorist tool to impose [their policies] on world, Rezaei said.

Although Iran has spent several hundred thousand dollars for closure of its eastern borders and is considered as one of the main partners for UNODC, the Western states have made the least cooperation on securing fund for fighting drug traffickers, the Iranian official said.

About Iran's Police anti-drug activities on border areas particularly on joint border post with Afghanistan, the official said that confiscation of narcotics has had 66 percent increase this year compared with the preceding year.

Iran, having border with Afghanistan in east of the country, is on the route of illegal drug transit to Europe and the country has not been secured against such illegal activities.

Iran is the main trafficking route from Afghanistan- supplier of over 90 percent of the world's opium- and Pakistan to the European and Asian countries.

During the first three months of the Iranian year started on March 21, Iran's Police has dismantled 260 drug trafficking networks, the general underlined.

Europe is the biggest market of Afghan drugs, and Afghanistan is still the world's biggest opium producer which shares a long border with its western strategic country of Iran.

Tehran, June 23, IRNA - 2020