ISTANBUL, Nov 5, (Xinhua): Turkish security forces detained 135 suspects in nationwide operations targeting arms and ammunition smuggling, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Wednesday.

The coordinated raids, conducted simultaneously across 41 provinces, resulted in the seizure of 95 unlicensed pistols and 3,116 converted blank-firing guns, Yerlikaya said in a post on the social media platform X.

Authorities also confiscated 31 unlicensed shotguns, two hand grenades, and 19,467 weapon parts, highlighting the scale of the illegal trade. Yerlikaya said the operations were aimed at preventing crimes involving unregistered weapons and disrupting the supply of arms to criminal and organized crime groups.

Türkiye has intensified efforts in recent months to combat arms trafficking and organized crime as part of a broader initiative to strengthen public security and curb illegal activities nationwide. Enditem