Azernews.Az

The State Border Service has prevented about 1.9 kg of drugs from being smuggled into Azerbaijan from Iran, the service reported on its website on April 15.

At about 2135, border guards noticed a car approaching the service area of the Lankaran border detachment's border post located in Astara city. One of the passengers took a bag hidden in a semi-constructed building, which attracted the attention of the border guard.

The unidentified persons trying to leave the scene were detained by the border guard.

During the inspection of the package, about 1.9 kg of drug-like substances (1,770 grams of heroin and 115 grams of marijuana) were seized from Aghdam resident Gabil Karimov (55).

The case is currently undergoing the necessary operational and investigative steps.

Border protection and search operations are underway to ensure reliable protection of the state border and combat drug trafficking and psychotropic substances.

As Iran borders both Afghanistan and Azerbaijan, drugs are traditionally smuggled in from Afghanistan into Iran and then into Azerbaijan. Given Azerbaijan's geographical location, drug traffickers attempt to smuggle drugs into European countries along the Balkan route via the country.

After the restoration of its territorial integrity, Azerbaijan is also taking steps to ensure the safety and restoration of order in the liberated lands. One of these measures is to halt the flow of drugs in the region that was previously controlled by Armenia's illegal regime in Karabakh.

Armenia used Karabakh and the surrounding seven regions for illegal activities such as arms and drug trafficking during its 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Despite the fact that Azerbaijan repeatedly raised the issue with international organizations, Armenia continued in the same vein, creating all of the necessary conditions for the illegal cultivation, production, and distribution of narcotic substances.

Azerbaijan closed the drug trafficking route from Iran to Armenia and then to Europe that used to pass through Jabrayil district.

After Azerbaijan regained control of the 130-km section of the state border with Iran, which had been under Armenian control for 30 years, the country closed the drug trafficking route from Iran to Armenia and then to Europe.

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