The Deputy for Human Rights at the Ministry of Justice states that the annual financial turnover of the waste scavenging mafia is 3 trillion tomans.
Asghar Jalalian, the Deputy for Human Rights at the Ministry of Justice of Iran, has stated that the official annual financial turnover of the waste scavenging mafia is 3 trillion tomans.
Mr. Jalalian, emphasizing that unofficial figures are even higher, said that the main root of waste scavenging is the illegal waste mafia, whose activities are considered a crime. They have inflicted wounds on society, disrupted the cityscape, and violated citizens’ rights.
Reza Mohammadi, the CEO of the Waste Management Organization, also mentioned in a meeting for a cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Justice and Tehran Municipality aimed at combating waste scavenging, that there is competition among 154 waste contractors throughout Tehran. He said, ‘We have appointed one contractor through a tender to be accountable for all contractors and to guide the organization, and today we have a total of 14 major contractors.’
Mr. Mohammadi also emphasized that the waste mafia uses cheap labor, namely children, to secure their interests and sometimes gives drugs to child laborers instead of money.