Turkey detains 396 suspects for drug manufacturing, trafficking

Ankara, July 17 (IANS) Turkish police detained 396 suspects for manufacturing and trafficking drugs in operations across the country, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Wednesday.

The security forces seized more than 1.7 tonnes of narcotics and 1.18 million narcotic pills in raids carried out across 57 provinces, Yerlikaya wrote on social media platform X, without specifying the time frame of the operations.

He added that the police teams carried out the raids with the participation of a total of 2,475 personnel, with the support of eight aerial vehicles and 34 narcotic detector dogs, reported Xinhua news agency.

"Our fight against drug dealers and organized crime groups that poison our people will continue with determination with the support and prayers of our nation," Yerlikaya said.

Turkey, often used by illegal drug dealers as a transit hub, has been ramping up efforts to crack down on drug smuggling since last year.

In June, Turkish police detained nine people suspected of involvement in international drug trafficking and seized 373 kg of cocaine, which was concealed in a container at the Gemlik port in northwestern Bursa province.

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