ISTANBUL, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Turkish authorities have arrested 37 people suspected of being part of an Australia-based international crime syndicate, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Thursday.
The gang, known as Comanchero, is involved in drug trafficking, murder, kidnapping, and other crimes, Yerlikaya said in a post on the social media platform X.
The minister said the gang tried to smuggle drugs from different countries and launder the money they made from illegal activities in Türkiye, without revealing when or where the arrests took place.
"We will not let organized crime gangs and drug dealers get away with it," Yerlikaya said.
Located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Türkiye has been grappling with international drug smuggling for many years. Turkish security forces frequently launch operations against drug dealers as part of an ongoing nationwide crackdown on drug use and trafficking. ■