Police seize drugs hidden in wheelchair in Turkey’s south

ANTALYA

Police have seized a total of 13 kilograms of marijuana hidden in a wheelchair at Antalya International Airport in southern Turkey, Doğan News Agency reported on Sept. 24.

The operation came after suspicions were raised over the actions of a man with disabilities at the airport’s domestic terminal, with airport authorities notifying narcotic teams that arrived at the scene to carry out a search in the battery-powered wheelchair. 

Two people, identified only by the initials M.G. and A.G., were detained and police found 13 kilograms of marijuana in 10 packs hidden in the wheelchair used by A.G. after a search conducted with narcotic dogs. 
In another anti-drug raid carried out at a house in Antalya, police seized 28.2 grams of heroin, 8.7 grams of cocaine and 3,500 Turkish Liras believed to have been obtained from drug trafficking. 

Police detained the owners of the house, identified only by the initials as S.K. and Ç.K., and the four people detained in two operations were referred to court. 

Elsewhere, a policewoman found 50 packs of marijuana hidden behind a street sign in the southern province of Adana. 

During an operation that was conducted under tight security measures in the Çamlıbel neighborhood of the Yüreğir district, a policewoman, whose identity wasn’t disclosed, noticed packs behind a street sign and later found out that they contained drugs. 

Armored police vehicle and special forces police participated in the operation, in which security forces kept watch with long-barreled weapons. 

Police raided several houses in the neighborhood during the operation. 

Adana Provincial Police Chief Selami Yıldız previously announced that the struggle against drugs would be stepped up, saying “drugs and terror are related issues.” 

“I’m calling on poison smugglers: We won’t let you take our futures away from us. We will fight you until the end. We won’t let you steal our youths and the future,” Yıldız said on the day he started his duty, which was followed by massive anti-drug operations. 

A total of 109 kilograms of heroin were seized on that day and 40 people were subsequently arrested as a result of the operations carried out.