Iran’s state news agency has reported that border security forces intercepted 180 packets of powdered heroin hidden inside the stomachs of two citizens from Afghanistan.
Majid Shoja, commander of Iran’s border forces in Khorasan Razavi, told IRNA on Tuesday (August 27) that the two were apprehended near the Taybad border crossing after officers became suspicious of their behavior.
According to Shoja, the suspects had ingested a total of 2,170 grams of heroin. They have since been handed over to Iran’s judiciary for prosecution.
Shoja also noted a rising trend in synthetic drug trafficking from Afghanistan, but claimed that Iranian border forces are actively preventing such smuggling attempts.
In a separate incident, he said 620 grams of opium were discovered on another citizen from Afghanistan at the point of entry. That individual was also referred to the judiciary.
While Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has issued a formal decree banning the cultivation, purchase, and sale of narcotics, recent reports suggest a surge in synthetic drug production—substances that are harder to detect and monitor.
