22 arrested in drug-related cases across eastern Macedonia and Thrace

The arrests were made as part of targeted operations aimed at combating the distribution and possession of narcotic substances, with police units operating across the regional police directorates of Dedeağaç, Rhodope, İskeçe, Kavala and Drama.

Cannabis cultivation uncovered in Rhodope

In one of the cases, police officers from the Komotini Drug Prosecution Department arrested a man in Gümülcine on the morning of August 6 following information about cannabis cultivation and the concealment of drugs.

Police said the suspect was cultivating three cannabis plants, measuring between one and 1.2 meters, at a farm in a settlement in the Rhodope regional unit.

The plants were uprooted and seized along with a precision electronic scale, a plastic grinder, an empty nylon bag of potting soil and a hand-held plastic sprayer found at the site.

A subsequent search of the farm, assisted by “Laika,” a drug-detection dog from the Dedeağaç Drug Prosecution Sub-Directorate, reportedly uncovered three nylon packages and two glass jars containing a total of 349.3 grams of raw cannabis hidden in specially prepared concealed spaces.

Additional arrests across the region

In 20 other cases during the same period, police officers from units in Dedeağaç, Gümülcine, İskeçe, Kavala, Drama and Samothrace carried out checks that resulted in 21 additional arrests.

Police said 10 people were arrested in areas of the Evros regional unit, two in Gümülcine, three in İskeçe, one in Kavala and five in areas of Drama.

The searches and checks reportedly resulted in the seizure of 72.11 grams of raw cannabis, smaller quantities of processed cannabis and crystal methamphetamine, 85 narcotic tablets, two cannabis cigarettes, two grinders and two precision electronic scales.

The cases were submitted to the competent prosecutors, while preliminary investigations were conducted by the relevant drug prosecution departments in Dedeağaç, Gümülcine, İskeçe, Kavala and Drama.