A total of 26 suspects have been detained in coordinated drug operations conducted across six provinces in Türkiye and the Norwegian capital Oslo, according to Turkey Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
In a statement posted on social media, Yerlikaya said the operations targeted drug trafficking networks and were centered in Istanbul, with simultaneous raids carried out in the central province of Niğde and Konya, the Mediterranean provinces of Mersin and Adana and the southwestern city of Muğla, as well as in Oslo.
“Following the operations, we seized 365 kilograms of narcotics during further investigations carried out within Türkiye,” the minister said.
He noted that all 26 individuals suspected of involvement in drug trafficking were taken into custody. Of these, 17 have been formally arrested, while seven were released under judicial control.
According to the minister, the operations resulted in the seizure of 257 kilograms of skunk, 108 kilograms of cocaine, an unspecified amount of methamphetamine and two precision scales.
Yerlikaya extended his thanks to the Istanbul Governor, the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office, which coordinated the operation, and the Istanbul police department.
“Drug trafficking is not just a security issue, it is a threat to our future,” he said. “We are present on every street, every avenue and every corner. We are not giving drug dealers any room to operate. We will not allow them to darken the future of our children.”
