16 tons of narcotics linked to PKK seized

DİYARBAKIR – Doğan News Agency

The confiscated narcotics are said to be worth 17 million Turkish Liras. AA Photo

The gendarmerie forces have confiscated 16 tons of marijuana in the Lice district of the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, which was linked with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the governor announced on Oct. 5.

The gendarmerie was attacked after the operation by five militants of the PKK, and one soldier was slightly wounded as a result of the attack.

Diyarbakır Mayor Mustafa Toprak said the operation helped prevent the PKK from using an important revenue resource. The confiscated narcotics are said to be worth 17 million Turkish Liras.

The operation was conducted in the Dibek village in the district of Lice. The forest area in the south of the village was carefully scanned and the gendarmerie found 15.5 tons of marijuana in barrels buried underground with the aid of three narcotics dogs. The gendarmerie also destroyed 60,000 roots of female cannabis plant and took five suspects into custody.

“The terrorist organization’s chief means of revenue are known to be gun, drug and human trafficking. Today we left them deprived of a fundamental fund. The investigation is being carried out by the Public Prosecutor’s office as part of the narco-terror case. This operation has hit a record high in terms of the amount of narcotics confiscated in a village at one time,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, three people were caught with a total of 78.5 kilograms of marijuana in the Silvan district of Diyarbakır. The suspects were immediately arrested by the court they were brought before.

There were also narcotic operations in other provinces. Special Forces caught 26 people with 100 kilograms marijuana in the southern province of Adana, with 17 taken into custody pending investigation.

Police forces confiscated 441 kilograms of marijuana in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa in a car, and the three people in the car were taken into custody.