Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Wednesday that Turkish security forces have detained 135 suspects in coordinated nationwide operations targeting arms and ammunition smuggling.
In a post on the social media platform X, Yerlikaya said simultaneous raids were carried out across 41 provinces, leading to the seizure of 95 unlicensed pistols and 3,116 converted blank-firing guns.
Authorities also confiscated 31 unlicensed shotguns, two hand grenades, and 19,467 weapon parts, underscoring the scale of the illegal trade.
Yerlikaya said the operations were aimed at curbing crimes involving unregistered weapons and disrupting the supply of arms to criminal and organised crime groups.
He added that Türkiye has intensified its campaign against arms trafficking and organised crime in recent months as part of a wider national effort to enhance public safety and combat illegal activities.(Xinhua/NAN)
