Türkiye detains 110 suspects in major anti-drug operation

Turkish police detained 110 suspects and seized more than 1.28 tons of narcotics in a series of anti-drug operations carried out across four provinces centered in Istanbul, authorities said Wednesday.

The operations, conducted by the Istanbul Police Department’s Narcotics Crimes Division, targeted street-level dealers as well as criminal networks allegedly involved in drug trafficking at both national and international levels.

Following 10 days of technical and physical surveillance, police launched coordinated raids across Istanbul, northwestern Türkiye, as well as the provinces of Diyarbakır and Şanlıurfa in southeastern Türkiye and Kocaeli in northwestern Türkiye.

Authorities said searches of suspects’ homes and vehicles resulted in the seizure of more than 1.28 tons of narcotics, 60,000 synthetic pills, nearly 88 kilograms of chemical substances believed to be used in drug production and six handguns.

The operations led to the detention of 110 suspects. Of those, 15 were arrested and remanded in custody, while legal proceedings for the remaining 95 suspects are ongoing.

The confiscated drugs were displayed at the Istanbul Police Department’s Vatan Campus, where Istanbul Police Chief Selami Yıldız said authorities would continue targeting drug trafficking networks.

“From street-level dealers to criminal ringleaders, we continue our fight against drugs street by street. This is a matter of security, but it is also a struggle to protect the future of our nation,” Yıldız said.

The operations form part of Türkiye’s broader efforts to combat drug trafficking networks and disrupt the supply of illegal narcotics across the country.