Turkish Interior Minister announces major drug operation: 321 suspects arrested
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced the successful conclusion of a large-scale drug operation codenamed "Narkoçelik-14," which targeted drug dealers and criminal organizations across 42 provinces.
The operation resulted in the arrest of 321 suspects and the seizure of over 322 kilograms of drugs and 135,000 drug pills.
In a statement released on his social media accounts, Minister Yerlikaya highlighted the operation's focus on dismantling local criminal networks involved in drug production, distribution, and street-level sales. The operation spanned 42 provinces, including major cities such as Istanbul, Konya, Şanlıurfa, Manisa, Samsun, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Sakarya, Denizli, Adana, Osmaniye, Sivas, Ankara, Van, Bitlis, Erzurum, İzmir, Mersin, Bingöl, Kırklareli, Tekirdağ, Kahramanmaraş, Isparta, Malatya, Çorum, Diyarbakır, Balıkesir, Adıyaman, Kırşehir, Ordu, Antalya, Aydın, Muş, Trabzon, Muğla, Kırıkkale, Kütahya, Kayseri, Bursa, Afyonkarahisar, Iğdır, and Kocaeli.
The Minister's statement emphasized the significant quantity of drugs seized during the operation, underscoring the authorities' commitment to combating drug trafficking and its associated illicit activities.
This operation serves as a testament to the Turkish government's unwavering efforts to safeguard its citizens from the harmful effects of drug abuse and to disrupt the criminal networks that profit from this illegal trade. (ILKHA)