ANKARA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Nationwide operations targeting individuals carrying unlicensed weapons across Türkiye's 81 provinces over the past week have led to action against 2,082 people and the confiscation of 1,867 weapons, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Thursday.
The seized weapons included 766 unlicensed pistols, 428 blank-firing pistols, 649 shotguns, and 24 long-barrel firearms, Yerlikaya said on social media platform X.
Yerlikaya said since the cabinet took office in 2023, authorities had seized 248,603 weapons in total and taken action against 278,564 suspects.
Unlicensed weapons are not only a legal violation but also a serious threat to public peace, Yerlikaya said. "We will catch those who supply unlicensed weapons one by one," he added.
Meanwhile, in Istanbul, police detained 903 individuals, including 461 wanted suspects, as part of the ongoing "Peace Istanbul" campaign, authorities said Thursday.
Tuesday's operation involved identity checks on 350,785 individuals, inspections of 43,590 vehicles and 662 motorcycles, and was supported by a helicopter and five patrol boats.
The operation seized 15 unlicensed handguns, six rifles, three blank pistols, 40 rounds of ammunition, 1,104 grams of narcotics, 291 narcotic pills, and cash believed to be linked to drug trafficking. ■
