ISTANBUL, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Turkish authorities have seized narcotics worth some 1.7 billion Turkish liras (about 39 million U.S. dollars) in nationwide coordinated operations at border crossings, seaports and airports, the Trade Ministry said on Sunday.
The operations were conducted at the Gurbulak and Kapikoy border gates in eastern Türkiye, as well as at the Edirne, Hamzabeyli, and Ipsala crossings along the borders with Bulgaria and Greece, the ministry said in a statement posted on the social media platform X.
The seizures also targeted Mersin Port in the southern province of Mersin, as well as Istanbul and Antalya airports, as part of the country's ongoing campaign against drug trafficking.
Vehicles and shipments identified as high-risk were subjected to detailed inspections using X-ray and other non-intrusive screening systems, supported by narcotics detection dogs, the statement added.
All confiscated narcotics were destroyed after the operations.
The ministry said that customs enforcement teams seized 33.6 tons of drugs worth 44.9 billion liras (1 billion dollars) last year and will continue operations against drug trafficking and organized crime. ■
