TEHRAN – Three gangs of international drug trafficking disbanded in the capital city of Tehran, and 27 dealers were arrested, IRNA news agency reported.

Hossein Rahimi, a police chief, said Iran was always in danger of importing drugs because of its proximity to Afghanistan.

With the presence of the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces in Afghanistan, planting drugs has grown several folds, he lamented.

Over 1 ton of narcotics was discovered in the operation, he explained. 

Since the beginning of this year (March 21), 163 international traffickers were arrested and 6 tons of drugs were seized, he noted.

Police detections of drugs have increased by 25 percent compared to the same period last year, Rahimi concluded.

International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

By resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987, the General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

Supported each year by individuals, communities, and various organizations all over the world, this global observance aims to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society.

Recently, the field of addressing the world drug problem has been 'plagued' by misinformation of many kinds.

The theme for the 2020 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking “Better Knowledge for Better Care” emphasizes the need to improve the understanding of the world drug problem and how in turn, better knowledge will foster greater international cooperation for countering its impact on health, governance, and security.

UNODC encourages individuals, non-profit organizations, the private sector, and Member States to get involved in its social media campaign to mark this day and invites them to draw on the resources provided in the social media campaign package.

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