Turkey detains international drug fugitive in Istanbul

Ankara, Nov 16 (IANS) Turkish police, in coordination with the German authorities, have arrested Daniel Sobotta, a fugitive wanted internationally for drug trafficking, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Saturday.

Sobotta, wanted under the International Criminal Police Organisation's urgent apprehension notice issued by Germany, was detained during the "KUYU-39" operation conducted in the Sisli district in Istanbul, Yerlikaya said, without specifying the time of the operation, Xinhua news agency reported.

Investigators found out that Sobotta had coordinated with others and sold various narcotics through an encrypted mobile communication application, amassing significant profits, Yerlikaya said.

Turkey, often used by drug dealers as a transit hub, has ramped up its crackdown on drug smuggling since last year.