Turkey: More than 1.5M cannabis roots seized

By Mesut Varol

VAN, Turkey (AA) - Turkish security forces on Saturday seized more than 1.5 million cannabis roots in eastern Turkey.

The seizure came in an anti-drug operation carried out by gendarmerie teams in the countryside of Van province to stop drug trafficking by the PKK terrorist group and to bring the perpetrators to justice, said the governorship in a statement.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

*Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur