Tons of drugs seized in 2021, minister reveals

BALIKESİR

Turkish security forces have seized 53 tons of marijuana, 20 and a half tons of heroin and 114 million root cannabis as part of the drug operations conducted since the beginning of this year, the country’s interior minister has said.

Speaking at a meeting held within the scope of the “Best Narcotic Police: Mother” project carried out by the Balıkesir Governor’s Office, Süleyman Soylu said that the anti-drug operations with the biggest seizures in the history of the Turkish Republic took place in this period.

Stating that 25 percent of the drugs were seized around the eastern provinces, but that 75 percent could still reach the western provinces a few years ago, Soylu said: “Now we catch 75 percent of them in the east, as soon as they enter our border. Only 25 percent of them are able to come [to the west].”

Turkey is located on the so-called “Balkan Route” of drug smugglers operating between Asia and Europe.

Over the years, the country faced a flow of drugs both as a transit and a destination country for opium derivatives, particularly heroin, which is produced in Asia and transported to Europe.

Stressed that drug analysis was carried out in the wastewater of 62 provinces within the scope of the fight against drugs, the minister stated that they were able to compare how much of a substance was used in that province, thanks to the samples taken from the sewers in order to increase the precautions.

Stating that he declared a war on derelict buildings, Soylu said that more than 106,000 derelict buildings have been identified so far, and 70,000 of them have been demolished.

“We will demolish the remaining 18,000 buildings. It is not clear what anyone is doing in these buildings. These are structures that disturb people and destroy peace. We will demolish them,” he said.