Turkey holds over 50 suspects in anti-drug operation

ANKARA

A total of 58 suspects were detained early Monday in an anti-drug operation in the Turkish capital, according to a police source.

Some 2,500 police officers including riot police, anti-smuggling and special operation teams raided 15 addresses across Ankara, the source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Nearly two kilograms of cannabis, 577 grams of heroin, 220 grams of cocaine, six unlicensed guns and 40 bullets, two unlicensed hunting rifles, 1,565 packs of smuggled cigarettes and 22,725 Turkish liras (around $6,200) "made from drug sales" were seized during the helicopter-assisted "Dawn" operation, the source added.

Ankara Governor Ercan Topaca told reporters that the sale and use of illegal drugs was the biggest threat to public order.

"We, as a state, will not tolerate activities that are aimed to poison young people," he said.

He also commented on the ongoing anti-terror operations in the capital, saying a total of 113 terror suspects had been arrested since Feb. 10, including 36 PKK and 67 Daesh suspects. The remaining 10 are suspected of having links to the Marxist–Leninist Communist Party (MLKP).

Topaca added that the security measures were tightened in the province as a precaution ahead of the 18th anniversary of the date PKK's jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan, was captured abroad by Turkish intelligence officers and brought to Turkey for trial.

Ocalan was captured on Feb. 15, 1999 in Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Reporting by Cankut Tasdan:Writing by Fatma Bulbul