Turkish police detain 524 suspects in anti-narcotics operation

Ankara, May 4 (IANS) Police in Turkey detained at least 524 suspects in an extensive anti-drug trafficking operation carried out across 52 provinces, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said.

In coordination with the Financial Crimes Investigation Board and Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the police traced the financial operators of the network which composed of 598 suspects, including the managers, salesmen, dealers, and manufacturers for about a year, and nabbed 524 of them, Soylu told reporters here.

The Minister said that the increasing number of anti-narcotics operations in the country yielded results and cut off heroin trafficking routes through Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey, reports Xinhua news agency.

"In other words, its route shifted from Turkey to another point as a result of our detentions," he explained.

While there were 941 direct drug-related deaths in Turkey in 2016, this figure had dropped to 270 by 2022, Soylu added.

Located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Turkey has been grappling with international drug smuggling for many years.

There are currently nearly 126,000 drug manufacturers and smugglers imprisoned in the country.

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