4 arrested, narcotics seized in SE Turkey drug bust

By Hasan Namli and Ismail Sen

DIYARBAKIR/ELAZIG (AA) – Four suspects were arrested as security forces seized a large quantity of marijuana and cannabis roots in southeastern Diyarbakir province, local officials said on Wednesday.

Some 835 kilograms of marijuana and 8,000 cannabis roots were found in raids by gendarmerie forces in the rural Konuklu area of Diyarbakir’s Lice district, the provincial governor’s office said in a statement.

The raids were part of Operation Yildirim-7 and aimed at revealing the YPG/PKK terror group’s involvement in the illegal narcotics trade, it said.

An unregistered pistol and 15 bullets were also seized, the statement said.

In the eastern Elazig province, anti-narcotics teams found over 41 kilograms of heroin in a truck.

The truck driver was arrested, officials said.

*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk