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Turkish customs and intelligence officers seized approximately 1.5 tons of heroin and methamphetamine concealed in a truck at the Ipsala border crossing in Edirne province on Thursday, in one of the largest single drug interdictions at the Türkiye-Greece border in recent years.
The seizure, valued at more than €56 million ($64.8 million), strikes a blow against the so-called Balkan route, the primary overland corridor for Afghan heroin transiting Iran and Türkiye en route to European markets.
The Ipsala Customs Enforcement, Anti-Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate had received intelligence that a narcotics shipment from Iran would attempt to cross into Greece and placed the vehicle under surveillance.
When the truck arrived at Ipsala heading for Greece, it was directed to a control point and subjected to an X-ray scan, which detected suspicious density readings.
Narcotics detector dogs Ida and Rose then conducted a detailed search of the vehicle, which was officially loaded with heat-resistant glass.
The drugs—heroin and methamphetamine—were found concealed in various compartments across the truck.
The Iranian national driver, identified by the initials A.P.G., was detained at the scene, taken before the Ipsala Criminal Court of Peace, and remanded in custody.
The investigation is ongoing.
According to Türkiye's trade ministry, the seized narcotics had a street value of more than €56 million.
Turkish authorities seized a total of 33.6 tons of drugs with a market value of nearly €840 million across all operations in 2025.
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