Turkish customs enforcement teams seized a total of 659 kilograms of narcotics during a series of operations carried out over the past week at major border crossings and Istanbul Airport, the Trade Ministry has announced.
According to the ministry, anti-smuggling units conducted six separate operations at the Gürbulak, Kapıkule, Kapıköy and İpsala border gates, as well as at Istanbul Airport, as part of Türkiye’s ongoing fight against drug trafficking.
Authorities said the seizures included 286 kilograms of methamphetamine at the Gürbulak border crossing, 173 kilograms of marijuana at Istanbul Airport, 153 kilograms of marijuana at the Kapıkule border gate, 25 kilograms of marijuana at Kapıköy and 22 kilograms of marijuana at the İpsala crossing.
The ministry said all confiscated drugs were destroyed.
In its statement, the ministry described drug trafficking as a “global disaster of the century,” stressing that such operations are crucial for protecting public health, preventing addiction among young people, cutting off financial resources for criminal networks and maintaining public order.
The ministry added that customs enforcement teams continue anti-smuggling operations across Türkiye’s land and air border crossings using advanced risk analysis systems, technical inspection infrastructure and operational capabilities in the field.
Officials also said efforts to combat drug trafficking, terrorism financing and money laundering would continue “with the same determination.”
