Iranian national detained with 52kg of heroin in Nimroz

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): Police in southwestern Nimroz province have detained an Iranian national for allegedly carrying a large quantity of heroin in his truck, an official said on Tuesday.

Provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Dilawar Shah Dilawar told Pajhwok Afghan News 52 kilograms of heroin, which had been skillfully placed in a tyre of the truck the Iranian was driving, was seized on Tuesday.

Dilawar identified the driver as Mohsin from southern Iranian city of Ahwaz.

The detained man had confessed to trafficking the drugs through Pul-i-Abrishum (Silk Bridge) to Abbas port of Iran, but he was arrested in the zero point area between the two countries.

According to another report, a drug smuggler has escaped from the central jail in Zaranj, the provincial capital.

A security official, wishing anonymity, identified the prisoner as Abdur Rahim, who was serving his 16 years jail sentence on drug smuggling charges.

The prisoner escaped after two jail guards took him to a hospital for treatment, the source said, adding that Rahim had served just four years of his jail term.

Nimroz province shares border with Iran and export and import of commercial goods between the two countries take place via Nimroz port.

Smugglers use the port for trafficking drugs to Iran and a number of Iranian drivers have been arrested in connection with drug smuggling.

According to the Ministry of Public Health, more than 10,000 people are addicted to drugs in Nimroz. Most of the addicts are those who have returned from Iran.

mds/ma

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