Turkey leg of UK drug gang dismantled after police operations in Istanbul

Fourteen people were detained and 208 kilograms of heroin were seized in operations conducted by anti-drug police in Istanbul on Sept. 28 against the Turkey leg of a drug gang based in the United Kingdom.

The drug gang’s U.K. leg was dismantled about two months ago, according to police sources.

Anti-drug police crews in Istanbul detected the Turkey branch of the toppled British drug gang after physical and digital surveillance.

Police conducted an operation against gang members hiding at addresses in Istanbul’s Maltepe and Kartal districts.

Three Turkish gang members were detained and a total of 208 kilograms of heroin were seized during the operation.

The caught heroin were reportedly packed in thin packages and had been placed inside 48 wooden tables to be sent abroad through illegal ways.

Elsewhere, as part of the operations against the gang, police also conducted an operation in Istanbul’s Bağcılar district, seizing 30 kilograms of cannabis sativa, six weapons, one rifle and 15,000 Turkish Liras and detaining four suspects.

Another police operation was conducted against a van parked in Istanbul’s Pendik district, seizing 130 kilograms of cannabis sativa.

In addition, police officers also conducted an operation in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district.

Three suspects were detained and 43 sacks of veronica prostrata, used in the production of the cheap synthetic drug bonsai, were seized.

Meanwhile, the Istanbul police department announced that 1 ton and 670 kilograms of drugs were seized between Sept. 20 and 26 in the operations.

During the six-day-long operations, 14 suspects were detained.