Turkey: 11 suspects to stand trial over drug trade

By Arif Yakıcı, Necat Hazar and Sebahatdin Zeyrek

ISTANBUL (AA) - Eleven suspects will appear in an Istanbul court on Monday over alleged links to a drug ring, security sources said.

Last month, police seized 1.1 tons of skunk in an anti-narcotics operation held last month in the Aegean Mugla province.

The suspects including an Albanian national -- believed to be the ringleader -- were taken to the Caglayan Courthouse after medical check ups, said the sources, who refused to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Also on Monday, police seized 32.4 kilograms (71.43 pounds) of heroin in the eastern province of Van, from a vehicle near a cement factory.

Two suspects were arrested for drug trafficking and transportation, and aiding the PKK terror group, the sources said.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years and has been responsible for the death of nearly 40,000 people.

In a separate operation, police seized 20 kg (44.09 lbs) of heroin from the trunk of a pickup van in southwestern Denizli province.

An operation was launched over an intelligence tip off that drug trade occurred inside a textile warehouse. The teams followed the van when it left the warehouse and searched it.

Three suspects including the owner of the textile firm were arrested.