Nearly 4,000 nabbed in anti-drug ops in Istanbul

Nearly 4,000 suspects have been caught in the operations carried out in 11 districts of Istanbul since the new year against suspects found to be involved in the drug trade.

Istanbul police's anti-narcotics unit conducted operations against drug dealers in Fatih, Büyükçekmece, Esenyurt, Ümraniye, Bağcılar, Beşiktaş, Başakşehir, Silivri, Küçükçekmece, Bahçelievler and Avcılar between Jan. 1 and 21.

Among the 3,916 people suspects, 375 were transferred to the courthouse after their procedures at the police station and were arrested.

During the searches conducted at the suspects' houses, more than 540 kilograms of jute cannabis, nearly 35 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, over 125,000 pieces of ecstasy pills, about 10,000 captagon pills, 11 pistols, a rifle, nine rifle cartridges, seven precision scales and nearly 13 kilograms of chemicals were seized.