Authorities detain hundreds in large-scale narcotics raids

ANKARA

Authorities said 349 people were arrested following nationwide anti-narcotics raids conducted across 67 provinces, officials announced on April 13.

The Interior Ministry said the coordinated operations targeted suspected drug trafficking networks and were carried out by police units in multiple regions as part of an ongoing effort to combat drug-related crime.

Hundreds of suspects were detained during the raids, and 349 were formally arrested after judicial procedures were completed. Other suspects remain under investigation, officials said.

Authorities did not immediately release details on the types or quantities of drugs seized during the operation.

"The financing of terrorist organizations, the growth of organized crime networks, street violence, and the erosion of family structures are directly fueled by this sector," Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said in a post on X.

"The biggest target of drug traffickers is our youth. As the Interior Ministry, we will resolutely continue our fight against these dark networks that seek to darken the minds, hopes and futures of our young people. We will never compromise on this."

The move comes as a new wave of anti-narcotics operations targeting celebrities turns into raids on nightclubs in Istanbul’s Bebek and Etiler districts — both situated along the Bosphorus and known for their high-end nightlife scene.

The chief prosecutor’s office in Istanbul launched coordinated operations, with law enforcement units carrying out simultaneous interventions in multiple locations across the city.

The action forms part of a broader inquiry into alleged drug use and related offences within entertainment circles.

Authorities detained 17 individuals, including several public figures, as part of the same investigation. The suspects are reportedly being processed on allegations of “drug use” and “facilitating prostitution,” according to officials familiar with the investigation.