Turkish police seize 144 kg of narcotics in major Istanbul drug bust VIDEO

Turkish authorities have seized 144 kilograms of the narcotic substance known as SKUNK and detained five suspects during an anti-drug operation in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on July 24.

The operation, led by the Narcotics Crime Branch of the Istanbul Provincial Police Department, targeted two vehicles and a residence suspected of being involved in drug trafficking, Caliber.Az report per the minister's post on X. 

İstanbul’un Esenyurt ilçesinde Uyuşturucu Madde Ticareti yapan şüphelilere yönelik düzenlenen operasyonumuzda;
⛔️ 144 Kg SKUNK Uyuşturucu Maddesi ele geçirdik❗️

⚠️Operasyonda 5 şüpheliyi yakaladık.️
️
İstanbul İl Emniyet Müdürlüğü Narkotik Suçlarla Mücadele Şube Müdürlüğünce… pic.twitter.com/RT844odTOk

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) July 24, 2025

Minister Yerlikaya praised the efforts of law enforcement agencies, including the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the EGM Narcotics Crime Department, and the Istanbul Provincial Police Directorate, for their coordination and execution of the operation.

“We are not giving drug traffickers any leeway. We do not allow them to darken the future of our children — and we never will,” Yerlikaya said.

By Sabina Mammadli