"Despite a lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, Iran seized some 1,200 tons of narcotics in 2020, which shows a 41% increase compared to 2019," Eskandar Momeni also said in his address to a conference on Iran’s achievements in the international anti-narcotics campaign, IRNA reported.
He said $490 million worth of illegal assets have been seized from drug traffickers in several operations, in which nine security forces have been martyred and tens of them were wounded.
Iran has taken preventive measures, in addition to direct combat, he said, including identification and treatment of homeless addicts in Tehran and assigning them social service jobs in the production of Covid-19 protective equipment.
Highlighting Iran’s 11 civilian and military organizations actively working in the fight against drugs, Momeni stressed that anti-narcotic efforts require the collective action of all countries.