Baku, Azerbaijan, March 1
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Raw materials for manufacturing of about 260 tons of synthetic drugs have been confiscated in Turkey, the country’s Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said, Trend reports with reference to Turkish media reports.
Soylu also said that 7.2 tons of drugs were confiscated in the Diyarbakir province Feb. 28.
Since the beginning of 2019 up till now, five tons of heroin were confiscated in Turkey.
On February 5, 2019, 615 kilograms of cocaine were confiscated in Turkey’s Mersin province.
On January 31, 850 kilograms of heroin were confiscated in Istanbul.
In January-February 2018, 3,722 kilograms of heroin were confiscated, the Turkish Interior Ministry said earlier.
During the reporting period, 16,802 kilograms of psychotropic substances and 202 kilograms of Bonzai drugs were confiscated in Turkey.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the country is facing a great risk and must tighten the fight against drug addiction and drug trafficking.
"The death toll from drug overdose is growing every year," the minister said.
The minimum age of Turkish citizens who started using drugs is 13 years, the average age – 36 years, the maximum age – 65 years.
Thus, 2.9 percent of the country's population account for drug addicts aged 15-24, 2.8 percent - those aged 25-44, 2.3 percent - drug addicts aged 45-64.
There are 22 centers in the country where the drug addicts are undergoing treatment.
More than 300,000 people have been detained in Istanbul for using and selling drugs over the past four years.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu