Huge weapons cache seized in car en route Istanbul

GEBZE

DHA photo

Turkish police have seized a large weapons cache in a car going from the western province of Kocaeli toward Istanbul.

The car entered Turkey from Syria, carrying a licence plate registered in the southeastern Turkish province of Gaziantep, Doğan News Agency reported March 21.

22 full-automatic rifles, a Russian-made heavy machine gun, eight grenades and some 2,700 bullets were found by the police who searched the car in Kocaeli's Gebze district after an unnamed informer alerted security services.

The driver of the car, as well as his pregnant wife and their child who were also in the car, have been detained.

Police raided several houses in Istanbul on March 21 after taking the testimonies, the agency added.

Security sources declined to reveal any information about the destination of the weapons, stressing that the investigation continues.

The Turkish police, as well as the National Intelligence Agency (MİT), were put on full alert, according to the report.