ISTANBUL, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police seized more than 4 million drug pills, large quantities of methamphetamine and cannabis, and raw materials used in drug production during a large-scale operation here on Thursday, detaining 11 suspects, authorities announced.

The operation followed a major crackdown launched a day earlier against 19 celebrities -- including singers, actors, and social media influencers -- accused of using and promoting the use of drugs.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a post on social media platform X that the joint operations, conducted under the coordination of the Police Anti-Narcotics Department and Istanbul's Narcotics and Intelligence units, targeted three districts.

Yerlikaya added that authorities seized 4,042,000 drug pills, 214 kg of methamphetamine, 69 kg of cannabis, and 438.5 kg of raw materials used in the production of drug pills.

In a video shared by Yerlikaya, police are seen using a battering ram to force entry, then raiding multiple addresses and uncovering large quantities of narcotics packed in sacks and boxes. At one location, a fire broke out, reportedly after a suspect attempted to burn the drugs before officers arrived.

Türkiye has long been conducting similar anti-drug operations across the country and at border gates as part of its campaign to tackle narcotics trafficking and abuse. Since June 2023, security forces had arrested 81,467 suspects nationwide in anti-narcotics operations and seized or destroyed 211 tonnes of drugs, 213 million narcotic pills, and 313 million cannabis plants as of August. Enditem