Turkish customs enforcement teams have seized more than 4.3 tons of drugs at the İpsala border crossing in the northwestern province of Edirne, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported, citing the trade ministry.
According to a ministry statement, a truck that arrived at the İpsala customs area from Greece to enter Turkey was taken to a hangar for a detailed search after completing entry procedures.
Ticaret Bakanlığı Gümrükler Muhafaza Ekipleri Edirne İpsala Gümrük Kapısı'nda gerçekleştirdikleri operasyonda, toplam değeri 3 milyar 25 milyon TL olan, 4 ton 321 kilo ağırlığında pregabalin cinsi uyuşturucu maddeler ele geçirdi.
(18.06.2026) pic.twitter.com/tvrMw2AgHz
— T.C. Ticaret Bakanlığı (@ticaret) June 18, 2026
The search was carried out by teams from the Customs Enforcement Anti-Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate.
Customs officers discovered and confiscated 4 tons, 321 kilograms of pregabalin, a prescription drug that is subject to restrictions because of its potential for misuse, the ministry said, adding that it had an estimated market value of TL 3.025 billion ($65 million).
The drug was later destroyed.
Pregabalin is the active ingredient in prescription drugs used to treat epilepsy, anxiety and nerve pain, but it has increasingly appeared in illicit markets because of its potential for misuse.
The ministry said an investigation into the operation is continuing under the supervision of the İpsala Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in Edirne.
The seizure comes after Turkish authorities announced on June 12 that border guards had intercepted more than 1 ton of drugs concealed in a truck at the same border crossing.
That shipment, which the Trade Ministry said was worth more than 55 million euros ($64 million), included methamphetamine, heroin and opium.
Turkey, located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, remains a key transit route in international drug trafficking.
The European Union Drugs Agency says the Balkan route from Afghanistan through Iran and Turkey toward the Balkans is the shortest and most direct heroin-trafficking route to European consumer markets, with heroin often entering the EU through land crossings in Bulgaria or Greece.