TEHRAN - The police in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan have seized over 1.5 metric tons of narcotics in a successful operation against a drug gang.

The haul included some 1.55 mt of illegal drugs, the police commander of the province, Mohammad-Reza Es’haqi, told IRNA on Monday.

Police forces could arrest five smugglers during the operation in the province, he said, adding that five vehicles belonging to the gang members were impounded.

Iran on the frontline

Iran has been the only country on the front line of the war against narcotics for over 45 years despite oppressive sanctions of the U.S., the economic problems ahead, and the limited contribution of other countries.

With 4,000 martyrs in the fight against drugs, Iran is now self-sufficient in preventing addictions and has changed the balance of power in favor of the youth in the region, IRNA reported.

Their sacrifice has not only safeguarded the borders of the country but also the countries that claim democracy and human rights.

According to the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), about 35-40 percent of the drugs produced in Afghanistan are smuggled through Iran to enter Europe and west of Asia.

However, with the bravery and perseverance of anti-narcotics police, more than 75 percent of the drugs are discovered and destroyed.

If it weren't for necessary actions taken by Iran, this amount of illicit drugs would have caused disasters in European and American countries.

Logistical, equipment, and financial sanctions under the pretext of political sanctions, in practice, have left Iran alone in dealing with the world's largest drug trafficking axis.

According to official reports, Western countries have so far withheld even the slightest aid to Iran.

"The increase in sanctions has also cast a shadow on the fight against narcotics, but we warn them that sanctions on narcotics are the most unintelligent sanctions since it will lead to a decrease in world security,” IRNA quoted Iran's Police Chief, Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Radan as saying.

Relying on the expertise of Iranian elites and researchers, as well as using up-to-date equipment and modern inventions of knowledge-based companies, the anti-narcotics police has been able to achieve good results in drug discoveries and arresting drug dealers.

Considering that drug-related crimes are considered transnational organized crimes, no single country can effectively tackle the fight against drugs alone.

On April 17, Alireza Kazemi, an official with anti-narcotics headquarters, said, “Iran is now self-sufficient in preventing addiction, treating addicts, and combating narcotics.”

Despite unfair sanctions, knowledge-based companies have achieved significant scientific progress in dealing with the harms of addiction and drugs which has made the country independent from foreign aid.

Domestically-made products that are used to treat drug addiction can be exported to other countries, even advanced countries, he added.

The affordability and the minimal side effects of these products have made them competitive compared to foreign counterparts. In some cases, they have proved to be even much more effective.