Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli will travel to Tajikistan in the coming days to meet with his Tajik counterpart in Dushanbe and sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in combat against drugs and drug-trafficking.
The MoU to be signed by Iran and Tajikistan in Dushanbe is aimed at boosting cooperation between the two countries in identifying and exchanging information and intel on drug rings and smuggle of chemical precursors.
Eastern Iran borders Afghanistan, which is the world's number one opium and drug producer. Iran's geographical position has made the country a favorite transit corridor for drug traffickers who intend to smuggle their cargoes from Afghanistan to drug dealers in Europe.
Iran spends billions of dollars and has lost thousands of its police troops in the war against traffickers. Owing to its rigid efforts, Iran makes 85 percent of the world's total opium seizures and has turned into the leading country in drug campaign.
The United Nations credits Iran with the seizure of 80 percent of the opium netted around the world.
Nearly 4,000 Iranian security personnel have been killed fighting drug smugglers since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iran has recently established a central database and strengthened police-judiciary cooperation in a new effort to combat organized crime.
