Turkish authorities seize over 200 kg of cannabis and arrest dozens in nationwide crackdown

Coordinated operations by Turkey’s Interior Ministry, police and gendarmerie targeted drug traffickers in 18 provinces, seizing 355 kg of illicit substances, 52,616 illegal pills and destroying 1,053,000 cannabis and skunk plants. Eighty suspects were detained, of whom 59 were sentenced to prison and 21 placed under judicial control.

In Diyarbakır, combined raids in the city and its districts captured 143 wanted persons, confiscated 107 kg of cannabis and skunk, and seized thousands of packets of illegal cigarettes and other contraband. The Dicle district operation alone resulted in three arrests, the seizure of 19 g of drug material and 3,527 cannabis seedlings.

Further regional actions included an Isparta‑Gelendost raid that arrested two individuals, one of whom is a local muhtar, and seized synthetic cannabinoid‑laden paper and related equipment. In Osmaniye, a week‑long sweep resulted in 122 arrests, the recovery of 103 cannabis roots, firearms, ammunition and large quantities of smuggled tobacco.

Across all actions, Turkish security forces emphasized a zero‑tolerance policy toward drug dealers and illegal cultivation, urging citizens to report any suspicious activity immediately.