Turkey's customs officials seize 463 kg of cocaine

By Deniz Cicek Palabiyik

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish customs authorities have seized 463 kilograms (1,020 pounds) of cocaine from the country's southern Mersin Port, the trade minister said early on Wednesday.

Trade Minister Mehmet Mus congratulated Customs Enforcement Teams on the drugs' seizure on Tuesday night on Twitter, stating: “We'll never give the poison dealers a chance."

According to data compiled by Anadolu Agency, security forces conducted 159,259 counter-narcotic operations across the country in 2020.

During these raids, they seized 4,168 kilograms (over 9,189 pounds) of methamphetamine, 1,954 kg (4,308 pounds) of cocaine, 1,484 kg (3,272 pounds) of synthetic cannabinoids, over 11 million of ecstasy pills and over 4 million other types of narcotic pills.

Of the 231,578 suspects held in the operations, 24,781 were remanded in custody.

*Writing by Merve Berker