The government made modest progress toward creating a national counternarcotics strategy. It also stated its willingness to cooperate with other countries and international organizations to meet the threat. Law Enforcement Efforts . Data on drug seizures and arrests are not yet available, but all available evidence suggests that they continue at approximately 1996 levels. Police discovered and destroyed 339 tons of illicitly cultivated narcotics plants, hemp and poppy.
Police lack basic equipment and have little experience in modern counternarcotics methods.
Border control facilities on the Iranian border are inadequate. Corruption impacts severely on law enforcement. Government officials including the President and Prime Minister have admitted the gravity of the problem. Anti-corruption legislation is being prepared. There have been no prosecutions of prominent offenders that would have a broader deterrent effect.