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Turkish prosecutors on Thursday requested the arrest of 10 suspects as part of an investigation into a ship carrying 10 tons of cocaine seized earlier this month by Spanish authorities off the Canary Islands.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said statements had been completed for 12 suspects detained in coordinated operations across six provinces before they were referred to court.
Prosecutors sought the arrest of 10 suspects on charges of drug or stimulant trafficking and establishing a criminal organization, the office said. The remaining two suspects were referred to court with a request for judicial control measures. Judicial proceedings are ongoing.
Spanish security forces seized the cocaine on Jan. 7 during an operation targeting the vessel UNITED S, which was sailing in international waters near the Canary Islands, according to the prosecutor’s statement.
Spanish police announced on Jan. 12, 2026, that they had seized nearly 10 tons of cocaine, the largest cocaine seizure on the high seas ever made by the National Police, hidden among a shipment of salt aboard a cargo ship sailing across the Atlantic after departing from Brazil. All 13 people on board were arrested.
Thirteen crew members were detained during the operation, four of whom are Turkish nationals.
Following the seizure, Turkish authorities launched a parallel investigation.
Seven suspects were initially detained on charges including establishing a criminal organization, drug trafficking and laundering assets obtained through crime, the prosecutor’s office said.
Arrest warrants have been issued for three suspects believed to be abroad, and procedures to issue Interpol Red Notices are underway.
Four crew members remain under arrest in Spain, while five additional suspects have been detained in Türkiye as the investigation continues.
Drug use and addiction remain a growing public health and security concern in Türkiye. Official assessments indicate the country has increasingly shifted from being primarily a transit route in international drug trafficking networks to becoming a significant consumer market, with synthetic drugs spreading rapidly, particularly in Istanbul.
Türkiye has intensified its fight against drug trafficking in recent years. A wide-ranging drug investigation launched in Istanbul last year targeting high-profile figures is continuing.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya earlier said over 43,520 people were arrested in 2025 on drug-related charges.
On Jan. 15, Türkiye seized 298 kilograms of cocaine at Mersin International Port in the country’s south. The container, which was shipped from Brazil to Türkiye, was officially declared as carrying peanuts.
According to Health Ministry data, 2.6% of the population aged 15 and over, about 1.74 million people, have used an illegal substance at least once.
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