UPDATE - Turkey: Over 545,000 contraband cigarette packs seized

UPDATED WITH OPERATIONS IN ISTANBUL AND VAN PROVINCES

By Hayati Akcay and Gazi Nogay

ORDU/CORUM/ADANA, Turkey (AA) - Security forces seized 546,445 packs of smuggled cigarettes and arrested 12 suspects across Turkey on Wednesday, according to security sources.

The operation was conducted against smugglers in the Black Sea province of Ordu where six suspects, including two Georgian nationals, were detained and 9,500 packs of cigarettes were also seized, the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said.

In central Corum province, 4,900 packs of contraband cigarettes were seized during an operation.

Another suspect was arrested and 3,200 packs of smuggled cigarettes were seized when security forces stopped a car in the highway near Saricam district of southern Adana province.

Separately, in northwestern Artvin province, police seized 930 packs of contraband cigarettes.

In Istanbul’s Beylikduzu and Fatih districts, police seized 481,415 packs of smuggled cigarettes, 5,850 puros and 585 packs of tobacco. Five suspects were detained during the operation.

Also in eastern Van province’s Ozalp district security forces seized 6,500 packs of contraband cigarettes.