At least 18 people were detained early Wednesday after police raided 20 locations allegedly used as bases for sales of illegal drugs.
As many as 450 officers from the anti-smuggling division of the Adana police department led the raids, which were held simultaneously in the provinces of Adana, İzmir and Diyarbakır. Police helicopters and special operations forces were also involved in the anti-drug raids.
Before launching the coordinated operation, police had had several suspects under surveillance for three months.
Equipped with long-barreled weapons, officers using special equipment forced entry into the properties. They seized 90 kilogram of cannabis, as well as small amounts of heroin and cocaine.
Police found a Kalashnikov rifle in a raid on a suspected location in Diyarbakır, and discovered a gun while searching a flat in Adana. Security has been stepped up to prevent attacks on the police during the operation.
