Police in İzmir seized more than a tonne of skunk esrar, a herbal cannabis preparation, in operations against drug trafficking.[1][2] The İzmir chief public prosecutor’s office, the Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı, coordinated the work.[1][2] The narcotics crimes branch of the provincial police directorate, the Narkotik Suçlarla Mücadele Şube Müdürlüğü, carried out the surveillance and the seizures.[1]
After technical and physical surveillance, officers made four separate interim seizures.[1] Those seizures yielded 1 tonne 367 kilograms 500 grams of skunk, about 1,367.5 kilograms, and 57,000 ecstasy pills.[1][2] Demirören Haber Ajansı reported that the operations also yielded 1,728 grams of pregabalin.[3][2] İhlas Haber Ajansı called the powder seized in the same work pharmaceutical powder.[1] Three suspects linked to the operation were remanded in custody.[1][2] Judicial proceedings were started against one other suspect.[1][2]
Officers then raided 15 addresses at the same time, 13 homes and two workplaces, to catch people linked to the drug trade.[1][2] Eleven suspects were taken into gözaltı, police custody for questioning.[1][2] A search continued for one suspect still at large.[1][2] İhlas Haber Ajansı said 14 suspects were caught in all.[1] Searches at the addresses also found one pistol, one magazine, 17 cartridges and 24 drug pills.[1]
Demirören Haber Ajansı said the operations targeted the manufacture and trade of narcotic or stimulant substances.[3] It said proceedings for the suspects still in police custody were continuing.[3]
