Anti-narcotics police in Sarbaz County, Sistan and Baluchestan province, spotted a gang of smugglers who were trying to transport a huge load of illegal drugs from the border region into the country, a senior official said.
Sistan and Baluchestan Deputy Police Chief Brigadier General Ahmad Taheri said on Saturday that during the armed conflict, two smugglers were killed, two were captured and 4,011 kilograms of different illegal drugs were seized.
3,373 kilograms of opium, some 373 kilograms of morphine, 196 kilograms of Hashish, 44.87 kilograms of Heroin and 23 kilograms of other drugs, along with an AK47 rifle, and a large number of cartridges were seized during the operation.
Iran is in the forefront of the fight against drug trafficking and thousands of Iranian forces have been so far martyred to protect the world from the danger of drugs.
Last Wednesday, Iran's Coast Guard forces confiscated a 1.2 ton haul of narcotics in the Southern Province of Bushehr in the Persian Gulf, arresting a suspect in the operation.
Earlier in November, the coast guards seized an opium haul of 960 kg in Genaveh Port, located near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf.
The Iranian anti-narcotic police have always staged periodic, but short-term, operations against drug traffickers and dealers, but the latest reports - which among others indicate an improved and systematic dissemination of information - reveal that the world's most forefront and dedicated anti-narcotic force (as UN drug-campaign assessments put it) has embarked on a long-term countrywide plan to crack down on the drug trade since 8 years ago.
The Iranian police officials maintain that drug production in Afghanistan has undergone a 40-fold increase since the US-led invasion of the country in 2001.
Afghan and western officials blame Washington and NATO for the change, saying that allies have "overlooked" the drug problem since invading the country more than 16 years ago.