Despite hardships, smuggling persists

When night falls, Othman Bayzi, a 35-year-old Iranian smuggler carries his illicit cargo on his shoulder and disappears. Every night Bayzi meets his fellow smugglers heading towards the border separating Kurdistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The nature of the smugglers’ work differs considerably from that of ordinary people. They have no capital to invest and they don’t have expenses. "All we need is a piece of cloth and a strong rope. We use the rope to carry our cargo on our shoulders and we wrap the rope with cloth so it doesn’t hurt our bodies," explained Bayzi.