Over 137 kg of heroin seized in eastern Turkey

VAN, Turkey

Turkish police seized some over 137 kilograms (302 pounds) of heroin on Sunday in the eastern Van province.

Narcotics officers launched an operation against illegal drug trafficking in the Ipekyolu district, local police said in a statement.

During the search, with the help of a sniffer dog, police found the heroin packed in eight sacks in the trunk of a parked vehicle.

The driver, identified only by the initials S.U., was arrested for suspected drug smuggling

According to police data, Turkish security forces confiscated a total of 17.3 tons of heroin in 2018, arresting more than 1,500 suspects.

*Writing by Burak Bir