ISTANBUL, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Istanbul police seized some 5,000 illegal handgun components in a single raid in a hidden underground bunker, marking the largest such recovery in Türkiye's history, authorities announced Saturday.
During a drone-assisted operation in a rural area of the Pendik district, security forces uncovered a hidden underground water reservoir used to manufacture and store unlicensed weaponry, according to the Istanbul Police Department.
Officers seized 3,092 weapon parts and 1,869 pistol slides intended for illegal assembly, while four suspects were taken into custody during the raid.
The four suspects remain in custody at the Istanbul Police Department as the investigation continues, with authorities intensifying efforts to dismantle the broader network behind the illegal production ring. ■
