§ Mr. Onslowasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reports he has received of the effect of the change of Administration in Iran on the number of attempts to smuggle drugs from that country to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Peter Rees,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 20 July 1979; Vol. 970, c. 870],gave the following answer:
In the first six months of 1979 Her Majesty's Customs and Excise reported 27 seizures of opium totalling nearly 4 kilos and 10 seizures of heroin totalling almost 11 kilos, of Iranian origin or involving Iranian nationals. This represented a substantial increase in the period succeeding the change of Administration. Customs and Excise has, however, reported that the situation in regard to trafficking of Iranian drugs may now have become more stable.