Baku, Azerbaijan, May 3
By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:
In April 2019, 10 tons of drugs were confiscated in Turkey, Trend reports with reference to Turkish Interior Ministry.
During this period, 9,400 operations against drug traffickers were carried out in Turkey and 13,900 people were detained.
"Turkey will further strengthen the fight against drug trafficking," the Turkish Interior Ministry said in a statement.
On April 19, Turkey announced the detention of a vessel with 5 tons of drugs in international waters off the coast of Libya in the Mediterranean Sea. It is reported that the ship with drugs sailed under the Turkish flag. There were 14 crew members on board, including a woman.
The operation reportedly is the biggest operation against drug trafficking in Turkey's modern history.
Earlier, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu stated that the country faces a serious threat and should toughen up the fight against drug addiction and drug trafficking. "The number of deaths from drug overdoses is increasing every year," said the Minister.
The minimum age for Turkish citizens starting to use drugs is 13 years, with 36 years being the average, and 65 being the maximum. Addicts in Turkey aged 15-24 years old make up 2.9 percent of the country's population, with those 25-44 years old making up 2.8 percent and those 45-64 years old making up 2.3 percent of the population.
There are 22 rehabilitation centers for drug addicts in Turkey.
Over the past 4 years, more than 300,000 people have been detained in Istanbul for using and selling drugs.
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