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TEHRAN \u2013 Iran\u2019s anti-narcotics police chief, Iraj Kakavand, has stressed the need to strengthen cooperation between Iran and countries in the Asia-Pacific region to combat drug trafficking and enhance regional security.<\/p>\n
Given that Asia-Pacific countries are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of instability and insecurity, Kakavand emphasized the importance of expanding law enforcement cooperation and joint efforts, IRIB reported.<\/p>\n
He said such cooperation should focus on strengthening intelligence and operational capabilities, exchanging information, and conducting coordinated operations against drug trafficking networks. These efforts, he added, should be based on the principle of shared interests and responsibilities among nations in combating illicit drugs and safeguarding public health and security.<\/p>\n
He made the remarks at the forty-seventh meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Asia and the Pacific (HONLEA), held from November 10 to13, in Vienna, Austria.<\/p>\n
Elaborating on the heavy responsibility borne by Iran\u2019s law enforcement agencies, the official said protecting borders, combating international networks involved in smuggling and transit of narcotics and psychotropic substances, and ensuring the regional security and stability are among the main objectives of the Anti-narcotics Police of Iran, which has been successfully achieved over the past four decades, IRIB reported.<\/p>\n
The seizure of an annual average of approximately 730 tons of various narcotics over the past decade, thanks to the round-the-clock, dedicated efforts driven by a commitment to humanity that transcends considerations of religion, creed, or race, along with the sacrifice of over 4,000 martyrs and 12,000 individuals who sustained injuries in this sacred struggle, demonstrates Iran\u2019s firm resolve and determination to decisively combat the pernicious phenomenon of drug trafficking, Kakavand stressed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe that the stability of the countries in the region is not merely a political issue; it is directly linked to border security, the control of the flow of narcotics, and countering transnational crimes, which will affect the development of nations. Since no single country can effectively address the cross-border challenges of combating narcotics, the strategy of the current meeting regarding the fight against narcotics should focus on the continued expansion of regional and international cooperation,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
HONLEA is a regional forum established under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as a subsidiary body of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). HONLEA operates through four regional groups covering Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The Asia and the Pacific group was established under an ECOSOC Resolution in 1974.<\/p>\n
Supporting Iran\u2019s counter-narcotics work pays off beyond its borders: UNODC<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In August, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a report, emphasizing the need to support Iran in the battle against narcotics.<\/p>\n Supporting Iran\u2019s counter-narcotics work pays off beyond its borders, the report highlighted, saying it keeps drugs from reaching other regions, cuts into the money that funds the organized crime and supports public health by slowing the spread of addictive synthetic substances.<\/p>\n The main seizure of methamphetamine in and around Middle East and South-East Asia over the past few years has been reported in Iran, according to the report which was published on Thursday.<\/p>\n Iranian seizure of methamphetamine increased from 30,393 kilos in 2022 to 40,453 kilos in 2025, placing the country at the forefront of the fight against drugs trafficking.<\/p>\n In the first quarter of 2026 alone, Iranian authorities have intercepted 3,663 kilograms of methamphetamines destined for Europe and the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n These weren\u2019t just street-level busts. These were five intelligence-led operations targeting industrial-scale shipments originating in Afghanistan, evidence that trafficking networks in the region are shifting toward synthetic drugs.<\/p>\n While international attention has primarily focused on the vast region\u2019s declining opium production, advanced criminal drug trafficking networks have successfully shifted toward manufacturing and exporting synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine, commonly known as meth. West Asia is now the epicenter of a synthetic drug boom.<\/p>\n Iran is strategically positioned along the \u201cAfghanistan-West Asia corridor,\u201d which serves as the primary trafficking route for these illicit commodities. The clear signal from Tehran is that these substantial shipments are being intercepted before they can reach international markets. Yet, sustained success will require enhanced international cooperation and support.<\/p>\n Each interception reduces the illicit financial flows that fund organized crime and slows the spread of synthetic drugs into new markets. These shipments are not merely statistics. Each seizure disrupts a supply chain that would otherwise put methamphetamine on the streets of Europe and the Persian Gulf, while cutting into the earnings of organized criminal networks.<\/p>\n Through its Country Partnership Programme as well as the Cooperation Framework with the Islamic Republic of Iran, UNODC supports the country efforts in advancing border technology with procurement of detection scanners, strengthening labs forensic capabilities in identify new synthetic compounds as well as regional intelligence sharing.<\/p>\n Sustained donor investment is critical to prevent this route from becoming a gateway for synthetic drugs. However, the scale of the challenge demands more than financial contributions\u2014it requires a collective and sustainable approach by the international community. By supporting UNODC\u2019s work in Iran, donor nations are investing in regional stability and international security, while also protecting their own borders from the flow of illicit substances.<\/p>\n MT\/MG<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n