UPDATE - Turkish police seize tonne of heroin in Mediterranean

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Durmus Genc, Sabri Kesen and Sertac Bulur

MUGLA, Turkey (AA) - More than a tonne of heroin has been seized in the biggest drugs bust in recent Turkish history, police said Wednesday.

Anti-narcotics police in the western coastal city of Marmaris said 1,071 kilograms (2,361 pounds) of heroin were recovered from a ship in a daring sea operation on June 2.

The Commander Tide was intercepted by an inter-agency task force consisting of police, coast guard and Turkish Navy near the Suez Canal, a police official said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Video footage from the operation showed special operations officers approach and board the ship and others rappel from a hovering helicopter in night conditions.

Police specialists with sniffer dogs then searched the Democratic Republic of Congo-flagged vessel, discovering sacks of heroin stored in hidden compartments.

The official said the operation was launched after police discovered the trafficking plot.

Nine Turkish nationals were arrested in international waters aboard the Commander Tide and brought to Marmaris for questioning.

Anti-drugs police at Marmaris later posed with hundreds of kilo bags of heroin.

An official said the heroin was being transported from Afghanistan to Greece and the Commander Tide had stopped at an Egyptian port before it was intercepted.

According to the Marine Traffic website, the ship left Malta on March 11 headed for Namibia.