Turkey’s security forces seize over 1.1 ton drugs

By Servet Tumer, Hasan Namli and Ahmet Bayram

ANTALYA / DIYARBAKIR / IZMIR, Turkey (AA) - Turkish security forces seized more than 1.1 ton of marijuana in anti-drug raids across the country on Monday, security sources said.

Gendarmerie command units seized 570 kilograms (kg) of marijuana in an operation in the Mediterranean resort province of Antalya, said officials who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

In other major raids, the anti-narcotic branches of the police department confiscated 120 kg marijuana in the Aegean coastal province of Izmir, and 402 kg in southeastern Diyarbakir province, the police sources said on condition of anonymity.

Police also seized 11 kg marijuana in northwestern Eskisehir province and 10 kg in Konya province of central Turkey, the sources added.

Security forces detained 261 suspects from several provinces including Kayseri, Eskisehir, Rize, Erzurum and Antalya.