Record seizure of amphetamine in southern Turkey

ANKARA

Turkish police seized a huge shipment of amphetamine tablets bound for the Gulf on Thursday night.

The record seizure of 1,800 kilograms (4,000 pounds) of Captagon happened in Hatay, Turkey’s southernmost province that borders northwest Syria.

Captagon is the trademark name for synthetic stimulant fenethylline. It is widely used in the Middle East and is reportedly used by fighters in Syria to stave off fatigue.

The drug is also thought to be manufactured and sold by the warring sides in Syria to fund the civil war. Prices vary but it has been reportedly sold for as much as $20 in cities such as Dubai.

The 11 million tablets were found in two operations. Police first seized more than 7 million tablets, which had been produced in Syria, hidden among a shipment of oil filters bound for Gulf states, according to an official who spoke to Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity.

Police later raided a depot in Hatay and discovered 3.6 million packaged tablets.

A Syrian and two Turks were arrested on suspicion of trafficking drugs.