Over 11M drug pills seized, 11 suspects arrested in Istanbul
Image shows the police officer during a raid from a different narcotics operation that took place in Ankara and Diyarbakir, where 104 suspects suspected of drug trafficking were arrested. (AA Photo)
Authorities seized over 11 million drug pills and arrested 11 suspects in a sweeping anti-narcotics operation across Istanbul, according to an announcement by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
Dubbed “Narkokapan-7,” the operation targeted drug manufacturers in the Basaksehir, Fatih, and Zeytinburnu districts of Istanbul, Türkiye.
Massive drug haul and equipment confiscated
The operation, conducted under the coordination of the Kucukcekmece Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the General Directorate of Security’s Anti-Narcotics Department, uncovered:
- 11.23 million drug pills
- 1,275 kilograms of chemical additives
- 364 kilograms of empty capsules
- Six pill-pressing machines
- 73 aluminum blister rolls
Authorities identified and detained 11 individuals involved in the illicit drug production.
Minister Yerlikaya commends efforts
Interior Minister Yerlikaya shared details and footage of the operation on social media, emphasizing its importance for Türkiye’s youth.
“Every operation we conduct, every substance we seize is; ‘a struggle to protect our future.’ Keeping our young people, who are our future, away from drugs is our common duty. We carry out this duty with a spirit of mobilization, in unity and solidarity,” he said.
“I congratulate the Kucukcekmece Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office who coordinated the operation and the Heroic Police Officers who carried out the operation,” Yerlikaya added.
