Turkish security forces seized a heap of drugs in anti-narcotics operations in southwestern Turkey's Denizli province, arresting 25 suspects, media reports said Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off, the Anti-Narcotics Branch of the Denizli Security Directorate launched simultaneous operations in Pamukkale and Acıpayam districts, detaining 77 suspects over their links to drug trafficking.
Police seized a total of 1,982 ecstasy pills, 1,500 kilograms of hashish, 150 grams of heroin, 131 grams of methamphetamine, 40 gr opium gum, 36 gr skunk weed, 50 gr synthetic cannabinoids (bonsai) and 44 synthetic pills in the raids.
Some 25 out of 77 suspects were later arrested by a court.
Meanwhile, in a similar operation in eastern Turkey's Malatya province, anti-narcotic units seized 6,594 drug pills in a raid on a suspicious car, detaining three suspects.
In another anti-narcotics operation in western Turkey's Aydın province, security forces confiscated 225 gr hashish, 81,50 grams of synthetic drugs, 1,35 gr methamphetamine and two pump-rifles in Incirliova district.
Police also detained 10 suspects over links to drug trafficking.
Turkey, a transit country for drug smugglers working between Asia and Europe, is looking to curb domestic drug use. In 2014, the Turkish government launched "The Rapid Action Plan Against Drugs" to counter drug abuse and smuggling. Since then, Turkey has been fighting on multiple counter-narcotics fronts. It targets addicts through better rehabilitation and awareness campaigns. It also targets smugglers and small-time dealers with more operations carried out by newly-formed "narco teams" that especially focus on operations around schools and other places where the youth, the most vulnerable targets for drug peddlers, go.
