Cannabis discovered at Istanbul flat in celebrity narcotics operation

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet

Police forces have tracked down the main source of production in the ongoing celebrity-involved narcotics operation as a high-priced apartment in Istanbul’s Cihangir. DHA photo

Police forces have tracked down the main source of production in the ongoing celebrity-involved narcotics operation as a high-priced apartment in Istanbul’s Cihangir, while authorities asked for additional time regarding the detainees.

The operation made the news on Aug. 5 with its high-profile list of celebrity detainees as some of Turkish television’s most well-known faces were picked up by police forces. Officers raided over 60 locations in the city, detaining 49 people, including names such as Kenan İmirzalıoğlu and Engin Altan Düzyatan.

Actor İlker Aksum was the only actor released after giving blood at the police station for drug use tests. Authorities Aug.6 asked for additional time for the remaining detainees, currently facing charges of using or providing to others.

Forces revealed the primary ground of production as the Cihangir apartment owned by Turkish actor Eray Özbal, where over 115 cannabis plants were discovered, as well as high amounts of ecstasy, marijuana, amphetamine, cocaine, measurement devices and cash.

Özbal also had a young student at Sarıyer providing him with assistance, according to reports.
The operation, which led to a total of 49 detentions, was commenced eight months ago when the Narcotics Branch Office started monitoring a drug dealer gang that sold drugs at bars in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş and Sarıyer neighborhood. The monitoring revealed that the celebrities asked for drugs with encrypted words and the dealers brought them to the desired addresses.

Of those detained, 19 were dealers, officials said.

The list of celebrities included Engin Günaydın, Sarp Apak, Şahin Irmak, Nehir Erdoğan, Koray Candemir, Gökçe Özyol, Ersin Korkut, Mehmet Erdem and Murat Eken.