TEHRAN - General Hossein Rahimi, head of police in Sistan-Balochestan Province confirmed on Sunday that 1.5 ton of opium was confiscated from drug smugglers during an armed operation, IRNA reported.

Rahimi added that the police spotted a gang of drug traffickers who were planning to sell and distribute 1.5 tons of opium in Sistan-Balochestan Province.

“Keeping a close watch on the smugglers’ activities, a team of police was dispatched on Friday morning to the violator’s hideout around Iranshahr County.

Once the smugglers found out that they were cornered, they began a shootout and got into their car.

In the car chase and gun battle that followed on Iranshahr-Khash Road, the smugglers abandoned their vehicle and escaped, he added.

Police discovered 150 packages of opium placed in the vehicle. One Toyota pickup, some guns and ammunition were taken from the criminals, he concluded.

Khash and Iranshahr are two counties situated in Sistan-Balochestan Province in the southeast of Iran.