Turkey's war on drugs strikes major blow to PKK

By Cemal Asan

VAN/DIYARBAKIR/ERZURUM, Turkey

Turkey's campaign against drug trafficking has struck a major blow to the PKK terrorist organization's access to financial resources.

According to figures obtained by Anadolu Agency, the country's ongoing anti-terror operations at home as well as in Syria's Afrin and northern Iraq resulted in tight border security and cutting off of terrorists' funds via drug trafficking.

In the first three months of 2018, military and police forces have conducted over 1,000 anti-drug trafficking operations, which have mostly targeted Turkey's southeastern and eastern regions.

The figures revealed that over two tons of heroin, more than 16 tons of marijuana, 78 kilograms (171 pounds) of synthetic drugs, nearly 9,000 drug pills, over 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of morphine, 550 litres of acid anhydride were confiscated during the raids.

Also, 2,032 suspects were arrested while 455 people were remanded in custody, the figures said.

The figures show that the operations were mostly carried out in eastern Van and southeastern Diyarbakir provinces, considered as two of the most important transit points for the group’s drug supplies.

The three-decade-plus campaign of the PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, has killed some 40,000 people, including women and children in Turkey.

The group resumed its armed campaign against Turkey in July 2015. Since then, it has been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians.