Turkey arrests 234 people in major Europe-coordinate drug operations

• Turkish authorities arrested 234 individuals in a coordinated operation with four European countries.
• The operation targeted criminal drug-trafficking organizations, including 225 inside Turkey and nine abroad.
• Detainees suspected of involvement in a drug trafficking scheme.

Turkish authorities arrested 234 people on Tuesday in an operation coordinated with four European countries targeting criminal drug-trafficking organizations, said Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.

“We detained 234 high-level crime organization leaders, including 225 from inside Turkey and nine from abroad,” Yerlikaya said, adding that Interpol red notices were issued for 10 of the suspects.

Speaking in Ankara, he said authorities had detained those individuals for crimes including international drug trafficking, money laundering, homicide, kidnapping, threats, and blackmail.

Police in Belgium, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and Turkey carried out coordinated operations, Yerlikaya said, adding that authorities suspect the detainees of being involved in a scheme producing and trafficking cocaine, heroin, and other drugs.

He said the operation seized hundreds of properties, vehicles, company stakes, and bank accounts, totaling 13 billion lira ($341 million).

He added that Turkish police worked with the European Union’s Europol agency for eight months to map out and decipher the organization’s secrets, contacts, and methods.