58 suspected drug smugglers held in Turkey

By Anadolu Agency Staff

GAZIANTEP/MALATYA/SAMSUN/IZMIR/DIYARBAKIR/MERSIN, Turkey (AA) - Turkish police on Thursday held at least 58 suspected drug smugglers and seized over 450 kilograms (992 pounds) of marijuana as part of its ongoing anti-smuggling operations across the country, officials said.

As many as 40 suspects were rounded up in the southeastern Gaziantep province, according to the provincial security directorate.

Meanwhile, in the southeastern Diyarbakir province, security forces seized over 448 kilograms (987 pounds) of marijuana as part of anti-smuggling and anti-terror operations, said the provincial governorate in a statement.

Two AK-47 Kalashnikov infantry rifles were also seized in the operation carried out in the countryside of the Lice and Kulp districts.

The raid was part of the Operation Yildirim-7, which also focuses on narco-terrorism. It was launched on Aug. 26, and aims to completely eliminate the PKK terror group and neutralize all terrorists hiding in the region.

Moreover, police’s anti-narcotics team raided numerous addresses in the eastern Malatya province, arresting 12 suspects.

The anti-narcotics team also seized 1,316 drug pills that requires green prescription to purchase and a pump rifle.

In western Izmir province, gendarmerie forces nabbed a suspected drug dealer in Selcuk district and seized over 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of marijuana.

Separately, in Turkey’s Black Sea province of Samsun, gendarmerie forces arrested three suspected drug dealers and seized over 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of marijuana, 37 liters of ethyl alcohol and two shotguns.

Gendarmerie forces in the southern Mersin province arrested two suspects and seized 20 grams of marijuana.​​​​​​​