Turkish police seizes over 200kg of cocaine aboard boxship

Turkish police seizes over 200kg of cocaine aboard boxship

Turkish police said that it impounded 212 kilos of pure cocaine aboard a Spanish-flagged container ship in Ambarli port, Istanbul on Tuesday. 

The containership, which remained unnamed in Turkish media, was stopped in the Dardanelles Strait and was brought to Istanbul for inspection.

The drugs were found hidden in travelling bags in one of the shipping containers believed to be originating from Brazil and subsequently taken to Spain before it was bound for Turkey.

The drug bust was part of a joint effort with Greek forces aimed at breaking the drug trafficking ring in the region. Investigation into the case is said to be ongoing.

Last week, Turkish security forces seized one tonne and 71 kilograms of heroin on board an offshore supply ship identified as Commander Tide.

The Democratic Republic of Congo-flagged cargo ship was raided by Turkish naval forces, the coastguard and special police forces, on June 2 while sailing in international waters bound for Turkey.

The contraband, estimated to be worth around USD 57 million, was found in secret compartments on the ship. 



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