UPDATE - Turkey: Over 2,000 kg of marijuana seized

UPDATED WITH MORE OPERATIONS AND ARRESTS, CHANGES DECK

By Abdullah Celik, Baris Yalcinkaya and Abdullah Soylemez

BINGOL, Turkey (AA) – Turkish security forces seized 2,135 kilograms (4,706 pounds) of marijuana and over one million cannabis roots in the country's eastern Bingol province, said local authorities on Monday.

The Bingol Governorship said in a statement that the provincial gendarmerie command carried out anti-drug raids at 14 addresses.

Three suspects were arrested and the seized drugs were destroyed.

Separately, Turkish police seized over 19 kg (41 lbs.) of methamphetamine from a truck in the country's east, according to the Agri Governorship.

Provincial police teams made the seizure in the Agri province when they stopped a truck with Iranian license plates, said a statement by governor’s office.

During the search, police found 20 packs (19,532 kg) of meth in the truck.

Police also arrested the truck driver, an Iranian national.

In a separate operation, anti-narcotics team in the eastern Erzincan province seized 55 kg (121 lbs.) of methamphetamines which had been molded in the shapes of oil paintings and game boards, according to the provincial governorship.

Police made the seizure when sniffer dogs found the drugs in the luggage compartment of an intercity bus, said a statement by the governor’s office.

One suspect who was on the bus was arrested by the police.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut and Burak Dag