Türkiye arrests 370 suspects in anti-drug raids, 169 human smugglers VIDEO

In a major crackdown on organised crime, Turkish authorities have conducted a large-scale operation targeting drug trafficking and human smuggling.

According to a statement by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on X, the anti-drug operation, named Narkokapan Mersin, lasted four months and focused on organised criminal groups and street-level dealers across 10 provinces, with Mersin serving as the central hub, Caliber.Az reports.

81 ilde göçmen kaçakçılığı organizatörleri ve düzensiz göçe yönelik dün düzenlenen denetimlerimizde;
❌ 132’si yabancı uyruklu olmak üzere toplam 169 göçmen kaçakçılığı organizatörü,
❌ 430 bin 454 kişinin kimlik kontrolünün yapıldığı uygulamalarda 783 düzensiz göçmen… pic.twitter.com/bM6rK4Uzy4

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) October 22, 2025

“Simultaneous raids were carried out at 403 locations. We dismantled three organised criminal groups and arrested 370 suspects. Our operation is still ongoing,” Yerlikaya wrote.

In a separate post, the minister reported a nationwide operation against human smuggling across all 81 provinces of Türkiye. 

Mersin’de Düzenlenen Uyuşturucu Operasyonuna Dair Basın Toplantımız.
📍Mersin #CanlıYayın
📡🎥
https://t.co/WXV9z6xE6e

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) October 21, 2025

“During the operations against smugglers and illegal migrants, 169 organisers were arrested, including 132 foreign nationals, along with 783 illegal migrants,” he added.

By Khagan Isayev