Turkey seizes 540 kg cocaine in NW province

Istanbul: Turkish customs officers on Wednesday seized 540 kg cocaine in the northwestern province of Kocaeli during an operation, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan tweeted.

Custom enforcement teams found the cocaine stashed in a shipping container at a port in Kocaeli, Pekcan said. According to press reports, the seized narcotics were valued at 216 million Turkish liras, or approximately 29 million US dollars.

The Hurriyet daily, meanwhile, said Customs officers seized six containers from a vessel arriving from Brazil. The vessel was later allowed to dock at the port and the officials launched the operation, it added.

A local online news platform in Kocaeli claimed that police had detained three persons.