TEHRAN – The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has provided four drug trace detector devices to the Customs Organization and Anti-Narcotics Police of Iran under the Japanese government's funding.

The hand-over ceremony was organized at the premises of Drug Control Headquarters (DCHQ) in Tehran on February 5, with the presence of Alexander Fedulov, the UNODC representative in Iran, Tsukada Tamaki, the Japanese Ambassador to Tehran, Mohammed Narimani, Interim Director General of the International Relations Office of DCHQ, dolat.ir reported.

Addressing the event, Fedulov said these devices have been procured under sub-program 1 of the UNODC Country Partnership Programme (CPP), 2023 -2026, based on the requirements of the Iranian Anti-Narcotics Police shared with the UNODC Iran.

The UNODC has been actively present in the Islamic Republic of Iran since 1991 and considers Iran as one of the strategic partners for drug control and crime prevention in the region. It has been supporting the country by providing technical assistance and training since its establishment in Iran.

The need for these devices, including body scanners and drug trace detectors, is still necessary due to the increase in the production of methamphetamine in Afghanistan and its extensive transit through Iran, as well as the significant increase in discoveries in Iran, the official noted.

Referring to activities of UNODC Iran in 2023 and 2024, he said through the generous donation of the Government of Japan, the office procured key devices including drug identification devices, drug-detecting dogs, Canine Trailers and other accessories for drug-detecting dog centers.

For his turn, Narimani said despite changes in the priorities of supporting countries, Mr. Fedulov has done his best to attract their support.

“Supporting Iran in the fight against drugs is supporting the international community,” he stressed.

The official went on to laud Japan’s efforts in funding technical devices to combat narcotics, saying “Iran will never forget your assistance particularly if you equip the country with X-ray scanners for containers.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the world’s highest seizure rates with some 76 percent of opium and 67 percent of morphine, and 17 percent of heroin. In 2024, Iranian anti-narcotics police managed to discover 440 tons of different narcotics including 38 tons of methamphetamine,” Narimani highlighted.

“Please let the contributors know that their aid conveys the message to the law enforcement forces and the families of the martyrs that the world understands and respects the importance of their sacrifice.

However, these contributions are insignificant compared to the cost the country is paying,” the official further noted.

To enhance the operational capacity of the Iranian Anti-Narcotics Police, in November 2024, the UNODC provided them with two Medical Devices, including a portable Doppler sonography, and a veterinary anesthesia machine to support drug supply reduction activities in Iran. 

In August 2024, the UNODC procured and installed three X-ray Body Scanners crucial for efficiently identifying narcotic drugs concealed in the body or swallowed at three international airports of the country, namely Imam Khomeini International Airport, Gorgan International Airport, and Ahvaz International Airport.

MT/MG