Anti-narcotics police in Istanbul have seized 31 kilos (68 pounds) of heroin bound for the Netherlands and detained three suspected drug dealers, Anatolia news agency reported Monday.
The haul, with an estimated street value of 2.9 million dollars, was seized Saturday when a car was stopped following a tip-off, the report said, citing police.
The detained suspects included a former mayor of a town in Turkey's southeast, his brother and a man who had a previous conviction for drug smuggling, it added.
Police were also looking for another of the ex-mayor's brothers, a former Istanbul policeman.
Turkey is a major drug smuggling route between Asia and Europe. Since January, police have seized more than four tons of heroin in operations across the country – ANKARA (AFP)
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