Turkey continues fight against drugs, terrorism

By Meryem Goktas

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said that Turkey's fight against drug trafficking also harms terrorist organizations.

"Addiction and terror resemble each other. The swamp must be drained for an effective fight against both," Erdogan said at a symposium on international drug policies and public health in Istanbul.

"Therefore, the struggle against addictive products is also a struggle to dry out the resources of terrorism," he said.

The Turkish president reiterated it was not an accident that drugs, alcohol and tobacco fuel terrorist organizations.

Erdogan said the most important results of Turkey's fight against terrorism was the "big blow" against all kinds of drug trafficking.

He said 52,000 people have been put in jail in Turkey on charges related to drug trafficking.

He added that electronic addiction was also a big threat to the society.