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- October 12, 202619°
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- October 12, 202619°
Authorities seize 350 kilograms of cocaine at Mersin Port and arrest 9 suspects
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that approximately 350 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the underwater hull of a ship at Mersin Port had been seized. Nine suspects were arrested in the operation, and the drugs had an estimated street value of approximately 1.5 billion lira.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that approximately 350 kilograms of cocaine had been seized in an operation targeting a drug network that planned the shipment of cocaine brought by sea from South America at Mersin Port.
During the investigation conducted by the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Mersin Provincial Police Department teams uncovered a plan to hide the drugs in the ship’s underwater hull, remove them with the help of divers and transport them to western provinces.
Cocaine hidden in the ship’s hull
A search found approximately 350 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the engine cooling-water compartment beneath the hull of the CSPC PISCES, which had sailed from Brazil and docked at Mersin Port.
Diving equipment and an underwater sea scooter were also seized in the operation. The drugs had an estimated street value of approximately 1.5 billion lira.
9 suspects arrested
Nine suspects were arrested following technical and physical surveillance. Judicial proceedings were initiated against the suspects on charges of manufacturing and trafficking narcotic or psychotropic substances.
İslam Yakut’s arrest announced
Gürlek also recalled that İslam Yakut, the leader of a criminal organization involved in international drug trafficking who had been wanted since 2017, was arrested in Istanbul two days earlier.
Gürlek said the fight against drugs would continue through the distribution networks, financiers and leaders of criminal organizations.
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