TEHRAN -- Police in Kerman have seized 700 kilos of hashish, in addition to 200 kilos of opium, and killed 12 drug traffickers during the past month, a provincial police commander said Sunday.

Fifteen other bandits were also arrested during several anti-drug operations, Nasser Malek-Qassemi said, adding the hauls were made in southern provinces of Kerman, Sistan-Baluchestan and Hormozgan. Police also released nine hostages, held by drug traffickers, and destroyed a poppy field, he said.

A sizable amount of arms, including 25 automatic rifles and several grenade launchers, and ammunition were also confiscated from the drug traffickers, Malek-Qassemi said.