Turkish police seize large caches of heroin, Ecstasy, detain 10 suspects

Turkish security forces seized several caches of illegal drugs and detained 10 suspected drug dealers on Thursday as part of an ongoing crackdown on drug smuggling across Turkey.

Police seized 123 kilograms of heroin in a raid on a house in the Iskele neighborhood of Tuşba district in eastern Van province.

The drugs, which were hidden in 120 separate packages, were found with the help of a sniffer dog named "Lisa."

Three suspects identified as F.K., V.K. and C.K. were detained by the police.

In a separate anti-smuggling operation in northwestern Edirne province, the anti-smuggling branch of the provincial security directorate seized 10,500 Ecstasy pills from two vehicles.

Four suspects identified as O.K., M.B., A.Ö. and S.G. were later arrested by a court.

Meanwhile, one of the suspects who was detained along with two others in an anti-smuggling operation in the Manavgat district of southern Antalya province was arrested by a court.

Turkey, a transit country for drug smugglers working between Asia and Europe, is looking to curb domestic drug use. In 2014, the Turkish government launched "The Rapid Action Plan Against Drugs" to counter drug use and smuggling on multiple fronts. Efforts include outreach to addicts with rehabilitation and awareness campaigns, and operations targeting smugglers and small-time dealers carried out by newly-formed "narco teams." These operations especially focus on areas near schools and other places frequented by young people, the most vulnerable targets for drug peddlers.