Istanbul crime: Narcotics bust and multiple armed attacks

Multiple violent incidents and a major narcotics operation have been reported across Istanbul.

In a narcotics crackdown, the Istanbul Narcotics Crimes Branch dismantled a trafficking network using a “baby courier” method. Suspects Damla K. and Yıldırım K. were arrested after police observed Damla K. using a two-year-old child in a stroller to transport drugs to avoid detection. Authorities seized 2.11 kilograms of narcotics, including cannabis and cocaine, from a residence in Küçükçekmece and a vehicle equipped with a hidden compartment.

Separate armed attacks occurred in various districts. In Zeytinburnu, a suspect with 55 prior criminal records, identified as Mehmet A., opened fire in a restaurant, wounding the owner and a customer. In Küçükçekmece, a motorcyclist wearing a helmet targeted a cafe, wounding a customer and the business owner before fleeing. Additionally, in Beyoğlu, masked individuals on a motorcycle fired upon a market, causing property damage but no injuries.