Major anti-drug raids lead to seizures across seven cities

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the apprehension of 13 individuals involved in drug manufacturing and distribution during the "NARKOGÜÇ-36" operations conducted in 7 provinces.

Yerlikaya revealed through his social media account that the operations in Istanbul, Van, Diyarbakir, Adana, Hakkari, Bitlis, and Bingol resulted in the seizure of approximately 2,350 kilograms of narcotics and 11,000 narcotic pills. Here are the details provided in his statement:

In the operation organized by the Istanbul Provincial Police Department's Narcotics Division, 468.45 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine and 6.2 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine were seized, leading to the arrest of 3 individuals. The Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command's operation also yielded 17 kilograms of skunk*, and 1 person was taken into custody.

Van saw the confiscation of 1,150 kilograms of cannabis, while Diyarbakir and Adana witnessed the seizure of 330 and 64 kilograms of skunk, respectively. A total of 3 individuals were detained in these provinces.

In Mardin, Bitlis, and Bingol, 81.5 kilograms of skunk were found, resulting in the arrest of 6 individuals.

Hakkari experienced the confiscation of 178 kilograms of methamphetamine, 8 kilograms of heroin, 24 kilograms of morphine, 11 kilograms of cannabis, and 11,000 narcotic pills.

The Interior Ministry's announcement comes amid a concerning surge in the number of individuals incarcerated for drug offenses. According to Justice Ministry data, the total prison population stands at 341,497, with the number of those detained or sentenced for drug-related crimes skyrocketing from 36,000 to 128,000 in the last 7 years. This indicates that roughly one-third of inmates are incarcerated for drug-related offenses. (AS/VK)