Teams from the General Directorate of Customs Enforcement and the Spanish National Police conducted a joint operation targeting a container in transit through Istanbul’s Ambarlı Port, sent from South America to Spain. The container was found to contain 1.7 tons of cocaine embedded in fossil flour, and three members of an organized crime group were arrested in connection with the case.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Trade on Tuesday, Customs Enforcement units flagged the container, which carried fossil flour from South America to Spain via Istanbul Ambarlı Port, as high-risk and placed it under surveillance.
During inspections at the port, authorities detected cocaine embedded in the 1.7 tons of fossil flour, and the Büyükçekmece Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into the case.
As part of the investigation, authorities decided to carry out a controlled delivery to identify all perpetrators involved in the drug trafficking attempt. The container was transported to Barcelona Port under joint monitoring by Customs Enforcement and the Spanish police.
The container’s movements were also tracked while in Spain. On Oct. 14, the Spanish National Police conducted an operation in Madrid, where three members of an organized crime group attempting to collect the cocaine were caught red-handed. Turkish Customs Enforcement officers participated in the operation, ensuring coordination between the two countries.
The General Directorate of Customs Enforcement continues to combat drug trafficking that threatens public health and order, both in Türkiye and internationally, without pause.
