197 suspects arrested in Istanbul’s anti-drug ‘Narkokapan-10’ operation

Türkiye’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that 213 suspects were apprehended in Istanbul during the “Narkokapan-10” operation targeting drug and stimulant trafficking. Of those detained, 197 were formally arrested.

Details of the operation

Minister Yerlikaya shared the details of the operation on his social media account, stating: “In the ‘Narkokapan-10’ operation conducted against individuals engaged in drug and stimulant trafficking in Istanbul, 213 suspects, known as poison dealers, were apprehended. Among them, 197 were arrested, 13 were placed under judicial control, and the procedures for the remaining suspects are ongoing.”

Yerlikaya emphasized that every operation and seizure is part of the fight to protect future generations. “Keeping our youth away from drugs is a shared duty for all of us. We carry out this responsibility with a spirit of mobilization and unity,” he said.

Coordination and seizures

The Umraniye-centered operation was coordinated by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office and Anadolu Public Prosecutor’s Office in collaboration with the General Directorate of Security’s Anti-Narcotics Department. It was executed by the Istanbul Police Department’s Anti-Narcotics Unit.

Yerlikaya reported the confiscation of:

• 25 kilograms of synthetic cannabinoid (street name: “bonzai”)
• 1,260 drug pills
• Various amounts of skunk, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine
• Six precision scales
• A vacuum machine
• Nine unlicensed pistols
• One unlicensed pump-action shotgun
• One long-barreled automatic weapon
• Significant amounts of cash in foreign currencies and Turkish lira