Massive Anti-Drug Operation across 16 Provinces: 59 Suspects Arrested in “NARKOÇELİK-28”
Turkey’s Ministry of Interior has dealt a significant blow to drug manufacturers and dealers in a large-scale operation called “NARKOÇELİK-28”. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya’s statement, the operation spanned 16 provinces, leading to the arrest of 59 suspects, 40 of whom were subsequently detained, with 9 others placed under judicial control.
In these extensive operations, the following substances were seized:
– 2,294 kg of narcotics,
– 13,623,127 cannabis and skunk plants,
– 2,002,455 ecstasy pills.
Minister Yerlikaya emphasized the government’s commitment to eradicating drug trafficking and street dealing:
“Our esteemed nation should know that we are resolute in cleansing our country of drug traffickers and street dealers.”
The operations were coordinated by the Gendarmerie General Command’s Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Department, involving local gendarmerie units. A total of 203 teams and 642 personnel, supported by aerial vehicles and narcotic detector dogs, participated. The targeted provinces included Antalya, Ağrı, Diyarbakır, Edirne, Aydın, Erzurum, Hakkâri, Istanbul, Kırklareli, Kocaeli, Mersin, Samsun, Aksaray, Sivas, Afyonkarahisar, and Tokat.
**Breaking Down the Seizures by Province:**
**Diyarbakır:**
– 5,094,730 cannabis plants
– 3,843,800 skunk plants
– 1,637 kg marijuana
– 141.5 kg powdered marijuana
– 11 suspects arrested, 7 detained, 4 under judicial control
**Antalya:**
– 9 kg marijuana
– 4 kg skunk
– 11 suspects arrested and detained
**Ağrı:**
– 186 kg heroin
– 30 kg methamphetamine
– 4 suspects arrested, 3 detained, 1 under judicial control
**Edirne:**
– 2,065,000 cannabis plants
– 1 suspect arrested
**Aydın:**
– Various amounts of narcotics
– 7 suspects arrested, 5 detained, 2 under judicial control
**Erzurum:**
– 760,000 cannabis plants
– 13,385 skunk plants
– 4 suspects arrested
**Hakkâri:**
– 23 kg methamphetamine
– 1 suspect arrested and detained
**Istanbul:**
– 2 kg synthetic marijuana (Bonzai)
– 2 million ecstasy pills
– 226 kg raw materials for pill manufacture
– 750,000 empty drug capsules
– 2 suspects arrested and detained
**Kırklareli:**
– 1,843,422 cannabis plants
– 4 suspects arrested
**Kocaeli:**
– 1 kg synthetic marijuana (Bonzai)
– Various amounts of methamphetamine and ecstasy pills
– 2 suspects arrested, 1 detained
**Mersin:**
– 10 kg skunk
– 3 suspects arrested, 2 detained, 1 under judicial control
**Samsun:**
– 4 kg synthetic marijuana (Bonzai)
– 2,455 ecstasy pills
– 2 suspects arrested, 1 detained, 1 under judicial control
**Aksaray:**
– 1 kg methamphetamine
– 1 suspect arrested and detained
**Sivas:**
– Various amounts of narcotics
– 2 suspects arrested and detained
**Afyonkarahisar:**
– 15.5 kg marijuana
– 2,790 cannabis plants
– 1 suspect arrested and detained
**Tokat:**
– 3 kg synthetic marijuana (Bonzai)
– 3 suspects arrested and detained
Minister Yerlikaya commended the brave gendarmerie who carried out the operations, highlighting the importance of their determined efforts for national security.