Drugs worth 25 million Turkish Liras seized in Istanbul

Drugs worth 25 million Turkish Liras seized in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

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Drugs worth 25 million Turkish Liras were seized in an Oct. 7 operation in Istanbul, with police confiscating 1.1 tons of the chemically modified cannabis-based drug “skunk.” 
The raid on the basement of a building in the Bayrampaşa district of Istanbul marked the largest single amount of skunk ever confiscated in Turkey, according to police. 

Police detained two people suspected of planning to sell the drugs, identified only by the initials A.M. and İ.Ç. The former is reportedly from Kosovo while the latter is an Istanbul local.

Police operations to apprehend other members of the drug gang are ongoing. 

Meanwhile, a record amount of drugs were seized in raids across Turkey late on Oct. 8, Doğan News Agency reported.

More than two tons of marijuana, including skunk, and 70 kilograms of bonzai, a form of synthesized marijuana classified as the most dangerous drug in Turkey, were seized in raids during five separate operations conducted in four provinces. 

In addition, Turkish authorities made their biggest-ever seizure of the chemical form of marijuana, confiscating a shipment that reportedly came from Europe.   

Police said the street value of the drugs seized on Oct. 8 was nearly 20 million Turkish Liras ($6.5 million).

Anti-narcotics police raided various addresses in Istanbul, the Aegean province of İzmir, the southeastern province of Diyarbakır and the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri in five separate operations, detaining nine suspects.

A court in Kayseri ordered the arrest of four detained suspects following medical examinations.