Turkey’s Interior Minister Announces Results of “NARKOÇELİK-24” Operations

Turkey’s Interior Minister Announces Results of “NARKOÇELİK-24” Operations

Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced the results of the “NARKOÇELİK-24” operations aimed at drug manufacturers, sellers, and street dealers. The operations, conducted by the Gendarmerie across 13 provinces, resulted in the seizure of a significant amount of drugs and the arrest of several suspects.

The results are as follows:

• Total of 911 kg of various drugs
• 10 million 995 thousand cannabis plants and skunk roots
• 13 thousand drug pills seized
• 83 drug dealers and street sellers arrested, 28 of whom were imprisoned while 17 were released under judicial control and 5 remain under investigation

Minister Yerlikaya, expressing his determination to rid the country of drug dealers, said, “We are determined to clean our country from drug traffickers and street sellers. We will never allow them to poison our youth, who are our bright future.”

The operations coordinated by the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices, the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Department of the Gendarmerie General Command, and the Provincial Gendarmerie Commands, were carried out in Adıyaman, Ağrı, Antalya, Bingöl, Diyarbakır, İstanbul, Aydın, Erzurum, Ankara, Van, Mersin, Kırklareli, and Gaziantep.

Highlights from the operations:

• Diyarbakır: 494 kg of cannabis and 10 million 202 thousand cannabis plants and skunk roots seized; 2 suspects arrested and imprisoned.
• Antalya: 11 kg of skunk, 92.5 kg of heroin, and 36 kg of cannabis seized; 8 suspects imprisoned, 10 under judicial control.
• Adıyaman: 22.5 kg of cannabis and 5,726 cannabis plants seized; 1 suspect imprisoned.
• İstanbul: 4 kg liquid cannabis seized; 3 suspects imprisoned.
• Kırklareli: 795 thousand cannabis and skunk plants seized; 1 suspect under investigation.
• Ağrı: 10 kg of methamphetamine and 13,180 drug pills seized; 2 suspects imprisoned.
• Bingöl: 200 kg of powdered cannabis seized.
• Erzurum: Various drugs and drug pills seized; 5 out of 11 street sellers imprisoned, 1 under judicial control.
• Aydın: Various drugs seized; 4 out of 38 street sellers imprisoned, 6 under judicial control.
• Ankara: 2 kg of skunk and various amounts of skunk roots seized; 2 suspects imprisoned.
• Van: 35.5 kg of methamphetamine seized.
• Mersin: 4 kg of synthetic cannabinoids and various drug pills seized; 1 suspect imprisoned.
• Gaziantep: Various amounts of methamphetamine, cannabis, and heroin seized; investigations ongoing for 4 suspects.

Minister Yerlikaya congratulated the Gendarmerie and Customs enforcement teams, saying, “May God protect you. Our nation’s prayers are with you.” The fight against drug traffickers will continue at full speed.