Türkiye opens probe into Canary Island cocaine seizure

ISTANBUL

Türkiye has launched an investigation into domestic links connected to a record cocaine seizure carried out last week off Spain’s Canary Islands, detaining seven suspects as part of the probe.

On Jan. 12, Spanish police made their largest-ever cocaine seizure at sea after discovering nearly 10 tons of the drug concealed within a cargo of salt aboard a merchant vessel intercepted off the Canary Islands.

Detectives and anti-narcotics prosecutors investigating a multinational criminal network accused of exporting “enormous quantities” of cocaine from South America to Europe had identified the ship as having departed from Brazil.

Of the 13 crew members arrested on board the vessel, four were Turkish nationals.

Turkish media have reported that the seized cocaine allegedly belonged to several drug kingpins operating in Türkiye.

Following the seizure, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched a coordinated investigation, carrying out operations in multiple provinces, including Istanbul, Mersin, Tekirdağ, Kocaeli, Sakarya and Hatay.

Seven suspects were detained, among them notorious drug trafficker Çetin Gören.

Authorities issued red notices for three fugitives believed to be linked to the case. Assets belonging to a shipping company suspected of involvement in the operation were also seized.

Türkiye has intensified its fight against drug trafficking in recent years. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that more than 43,520 people were arrested in 2025 on drug-related charges.

On Jan. 15, Türkiye seized 298 kilograms of cocaine at the Mersin International Port in the country’s south.

The container in which the narcotics were discovered was shipped from Brazil to Türkiye and was officially declared as carrying peanuts.