Turkish police have seized 1.7 tons of drugs and detained 396 people across the country as part of a narcotics operation, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced Wednesday on X.
Zehir Tacirlerinin Oluşturduğu Yerel Suç Örgütlerine, Uyuşturucu Madde İmalatçılarına ve Satışını Yapanlara yönelik 5️⃣7️⃣ İlde düzenlenen “NARKOÇELİK-27” operasyonlarında;
1️⃣ Ton 7️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ Kg Uyuşturucu Madde ve
1️⃣ Milyon 1️⃣8️⃣1️⃣ Bin adet Uyuşturucu Hap ele geçirildi❗3️⃣9️⃣6️⃣ Zehir… pic.twitter.com/yYL1XBN3Ay
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) July 17, 2024
The operation, which saw police seize 1.7 tons of drugs in addition to some 1.1 million pills, spanned 57 provinces, including Ankara, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep İstanbul, İzmir and Konya.
The seized items include cocaine, cannabis, liquid and crystal methamphetamine, synthetic cannabinoid (bonsai) and “super strength” marijuana (“skunk”).
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) “Global Report on Cocaine 2023” revealed Turkey’s rising role as a transit country for cocaine. In 2021 Turkish authorities seized a record 2.8 tons of cocaine, reflecting a sevenfold increase in drug seizures since 2014. The report notes that some cocaine reaches Turkey via West Africa, while other shipments come directly from Latin America. The outbound flow from Turkey primarily moves westward through the Black Sea and the Balkans.
The crackdown on drug trafficking networks in Turkey has gained momentum following a cabinet reshuffle in President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration in June of last year. The new leadership appears to be taking a harder stance against drug trafficking, which was allegedly facilitated by authorities under the previous interior minister, Süleyman Soylu.
During Soylu’s time in office, Turkey faced allegations of involvement in international drug trafficking, primarily driven by Turkish mob boss Sedat Peker. In a series of dramatic videos in 2021, Peker accused Soylu and other high-ranking officials of protecting and facilitating cocaine trafficking networks.
Observers speculate that the recent shift in Turkey’s stance on drugs may be part of a broader effort to restore the rule of law and reassure international investors amid Turkey’s economic challenges.