Turkish police seize over 82 kg of marijuana, heroin

By Sener Toktas

BITLIS, Turkey

Over 82 kilograms (180 pounds) of marijuana and heroin were seized during anti-narcotics operations across Turkey, according to provincial officials on Saturday.

In eastern Bitlis province, over 61 kg (134 pounds) of powdered marijuana were seized in a house, according to the Governor’s Office in the province.

One suspect was arrested over charge of trading drugs, it added.

In Van, another eastern province, police confiscated 21 kg (46 pounds) of heroin in a vehicle in Edremit district, said provincial security directorate.

Driver of the vehicle, identified by the initials H.A., was remanded by judicial authorities in the province.

Also, in the Mediterranean resort city Antalya, anti-narcotics teams seized over 5,450 drugs in a car, according to a security source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Seven suspects, including two women, were also arrested during the operation conducted in Muratpasa district.

Meanwhile, 20 others were arrested in five provinces during a simultaneous operation against drug traffickers, eastern Agri’s security directorate said in a statement.

Agri-based operations were extended to Van, Mus, Trabzon and Tekirdag provinces, it said, and added that various types of drugs were confiscated during the operation.

Separately, six others were arrested in central Konya province, after gendarmerie forces were tipped-off about a drug trade.

Some amount of marijuana, cannabis roots and 845 drugs were seized in the operation, along with nearly 3,400 Turkish lira ($637), which thought to be made out of drug trade.

*Ozkan Bilgin in Van, Suleyman Elcin in Antalya, Sitki Yildiz in Agri, Ahmet Akbiyik in Konya contributed to this report