ISTANBUL, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police have detained 272 suspected drug dealers here, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Thursday.
In a statement posted on his social media account on X, Yerlikaya said the operation targeted street-level dealers -- individuals who sell drugs in neighborhoods and on the streets.
He noted that the police spent four months preparing for the operation. During this period, several districts in Istanbul were placed under intense surveillance, with collected intelligence meticulously analyzed before the raids.
Türkiye, located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, has long struggled with international drug trafficking. Turkish security forces regularly conduct operations to combat drug abuse and smuggling. ■
