Hundreds of suspects nabbed in nationwide drug ops

ANKARA

Turkish security units have apprehended a total of 528 suspects in two distinct operations targeting suspects of narcotics-related crimes across the country, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced.

The first operation resulted in the detention of 445 suspected drug dealers in 47 of the country’s 81 provinces, with the teams seizing 304 kilograms of drugs, Yerlikaya said in a social media post on X.

In the Istanbul leg of the operation, large caches of drugs were seized at the residences of suspects in the Çatalca and Arnavutköy districts.

Another 83 suspects were detained on drug-related charges in the second operation, while the court decided to arrest 28 of them in the first stage, with the judicial process for the rest ongoing.

In his post, Yerlikaya stated that the country's fight against drugs and its trade will continue with determination.

The operations came after Turkish, Spanish and French police forces dismantled an international drug cartel, capturing the mob’s wanted leader in Spain in a joint effort.