Over 5M drugs seized, 644 dealers arrested across 57 provinces

In a large-scale anti-drug operation this week, Turkish authorities seized over 5 million drug pills and arrested 644 street dealers. The “Narkocelik-41” operation, conducted across 57 provinces, targeted drug dealers and manufacturers, leading to significant drug seizures and arrests.

Nationwide operation yields major results

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that 57 provinces, including major cities like Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, were part of the operation. In total, 967 kilograms of illegal substances and 5.86 million drug pills were seized. The operation was carried out with the support of 1,603 teams, 4,127 personnel, 25 air units and 41 narcotics detection dogs.

5️⃣7️⃣ İlde Zehir Tacirlerine, Uyuşturucu Madde ve İmalatçılarına yönelik bu hafta düzenlenen “NARKOÇELİK-41” operasyonlarında;
⚠️9️⃣6️⃣7️⃣ Kg Uyuşturucu Madde,
⚠️5️⃣ Milyon 8️⃣5️⃣7️⃣ Bin 5️⃣2️⃣0️⃣ adet Uyuşturucu Hap ele geçirildi❗

6️⃣4️⃣4️⃣ Zehir Taciri ve Sokak Satıcısı yakalandı.

Aziz… pic.twitter.com/z0Egp0IIPi

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) October 3, 2024

The operation targeted local drug dealers, also known as “street dealers,” resulting in the arrest of 644 suspects. The seized drugs included various types of narcotics intended for street distribution.

Coordinated efforts across provinces

The “Narkocelik-41” operation was coordinated with the assistance of the public prosecutor’s offices across Türkiye. The cities involved in the operation include Aksaray, Bursa, Gaziantep, Konya, Mersin, Samsun and more.

Commitment to fight against drugs

Minister Yerlikaya praised the efforts of law enforcement officers and emphasized the government’s determination to combat drug trafficking. In a social media post, Yerlikaya said, “I want our dear nation to know that; We are determined to cleanse our country of drug dealers and street vendors.”