14-year-old arrested for selling bonzai in Istanbul
ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency
DHA Photo
A 14-year-old has been arrested for selling synthetic drug “bonzai” in an operation conducted in Istanbul’s Bağcılar district on Aug. 19.Police raided an abandoned building from which a drug dealing network was operating, detaining the 14-year-old who was only identified as A.K., along with two others, 27-year-old K.Y. and 18-year-old M.C.
The suspects were taken to court and arrested, after initial questioning at a police station. A.K., who is thought to be the leader of the drug gang, was taken into custody on nine previous occasions on charges of robbery, causing deliberate injury, and using drugs. M.C. has also seven different criminal records including the same crimes.
Meanwhile, in another neighborhood of Bağcılar, police caught another drug seller red-handed after following a tip-off that bonzai was being sold at a tea house. The suspect, identified as N.K., was arrested after attempting to sell drugs to police officers who had gone to the teahouse posing as clients.
75.3 grams of bonzai and a hand-made gun were later seized from N.K.’s work place.
The spread of the synthetic drug across Turkey’s largest city has set alarm bells ringing in recent months, with official figures indicating that use of the drug has risen considerably in recent years.
