The Turkish authorities arrested 234 people in a coordinated operation with four European countries against criminal drug trafficking organizations, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Tuesday.
“We have arrested 234 leaders of the Organization of High Level Crimes, 225 from within Turkey and Nine from abroad,” said Yerlikaya, adding that 10 of the suspects were sought with Interpol Network notices.
Speaking in Ankara, he said that detainees had been sought for crimes that include international drug trafficking, money laundering, homicide, kidnapping, threats and blackmail.
The police in Belgium, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Turkey carried out coordinated operations, Yerlikaya said, and added that the detainees were suspected of participation in a scheme that produces and traffic of cocaine, heroin and other drugs.
The operation seized hundreds of properties, vehicles, company participations and bank accounts with a value for a total of 13 billion lyre ($ 341 million), he said.
The Turkish police worked for eight months with the Europol Agency of the European Union to draw and decipher the secrets, contacts and methods of the organization, he added.
