Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that the largest anti-drug operation in the history of the republic was carried out in Ankara, where 525 street dealers were detained in the operation code-named “Narkokapan-Ankara.”
According to a statement shared by Yerlikaya on social media, the “Narkokapan-Ankara” operation was launched at 5 a.m., following six months of technical and physical surveillance. The operation targeted street-level drug dealers, known as “torbacı.”
The operation was coordinated by the Ankara Governorship, Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Ankara Western Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the General Directorate of Security, with the participation of 1,461 teams and 4,768 police officers. The operation also deployed 40 specially trained dogs, four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other air support elements. Simultaneous raids were conducted at 626 locations, resulting in the detention of 525 suspects. The operation is still ongoing.
Yerlikaya stated: “We carried out the largest drug operation in our republic’s history in our capital, Ankara. The operation focused on street dealers who sell drugs in neighborhoods and alleyways, using internet-based communication platforms, and who act as extensions of the poison traffickers that target our youth. Preparations for this operation took six full months.”
“During this time, we essentially X-rayed Ankara once again. We carried out fieldwork and analyses with utmost care. We monitored suspects through technical and physical surveillance. We documented all criminal activities one by one and launched the operation this morning. We showed those poison dealers, who dare to steal our youth’s future, that they will face the consequences. If you attempt to harm our youth, you will answer for it before the law. Those who try to poison our nation will see their own lives turn to poison. Drugs are humanity’s greatest enemy, and we will continue to fight these poison traffickers on behalf of our country and humanity,” he added.
In a statement regarding the operation, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said that 646 individuals were identified as suspects based on strong evidence of drug trafficking. Among them, 110 were classified as juveniles pushed into crime, and 80 were found to be already imprisoned for other offenses.
Detention orders were issued for the remaining 566 suspects. The statement added: “The Ankara Police Department’s Anti-Narcotics Branch is continuing the procedures. Due to the broad scope of the investigation, the high number of suspects and the ongoing search operations, further details on the seized criminal materials will be shared with the public in due course. The investigation is being carried out thoroughly in all aspects.”