Turkey: Over 200,000 arrested in drug-related crimes

By Sertac Bulur and Orhan Onur Gemici

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces have arrested more than 200,000 suspects in drug-related offenses across the country in the past year, an official report revealed Wednesday.

The report gathered data from all relevant public institutions and not-for-profit organizations aiding the government in its anti-drug efforts.

In nearly 145,000 anti-drug operations, police seized over 100 tons (220,462 lbs.) of various drugs, including heroin, cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine, and more than 30 million pills of ecstasy and captagon.

Many projects were adopted by the police to assist the Interior Ministry in its anti-drug fight. They included funding rehab groups, guarding the streets, police trainings and a phone application to encourage citizens to report drug-related offenses to authorities.

The report details 456 operations were carried out from 1980 to 2019 against terror groups PKK/KCK/PYD, DHKP/C and TIKKO. As many as 475 suspects were arrested and more than 74,000 kg (163,142 lbs.) of various drugs, pills and root cannabis were seized.

In eight operations against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the failed 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, 33 suspects were arrested and 252 kg (555 lbs.) of cocaine, pills and root cannabis seized.

The report stated that more than 251,000 people applied to outpatient treatment centers for drug use and 13,841 people applied to inpatient services in 48 centers across the country.

The government machinery worked hand in hand to fight the menace of drug abuse in the country, with the Justice, Health, Family, Education, Labor, Youth and Sports Ministries coordinating.

Young people were informed of the harms of drug abuse, public service messages were sent out, and poster contests were held to spread awareness.

* Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur