24.01.2026 12:51
In Antalya, in the neighborhood of Yeşildere, which is associated with drugs, operations carried out by the police have ensured a peaceful environment in a large part of the neighborhood. A resident living in the neighborhood resorted to an interesting method to avoid disturbances at night. The citizen hung a note on their window that read, "This house does not sell drugs, please do not disturb," in order to keep addicts away from the vicinity of their home.
In the Yeşildere neighborhood, commonly known as "Zeytinköy" among the public in Antalya, the police's consecutive operations against street dealers, referred to as "torbacı," have brought drug-related activities in the area to a near end. Most recently, in simultaneous operations conducted in December across 17 different provinces, including Antalya, 472 out of 519 suspects detained were arrested. The mobile police station established by the Antalya Governorship and the Provincial Police Department, along with increased personnel and patrol numbers, as well as the use of facial recognition technology through the City Security Management System (KGYS), and drones have played an effective role in combating drugs in the area, ensuring a peaceful environment in the neighborhood.
POLICE CHIEF: THAT'S OUR AREA, WE WON'T LEAVE
Antalya Police Chief Dr. Sabit Akın Zaimoğlu stated in his latest remarks that due to the measures taken and the ongoing struggle, the dealers and drug addicts have found it difficult to move freely within the neighborhood, saying, "Our primary priority is to work to dry up this poison network. Blocking this transportation network could mean a fundamental solution to the problem. We want to dry up the swamp. There are a few neighborhoods they can go to. We have already conducted camera and patrol operations in those areas. We patrol Zeytinköy with 80 personnel during the day and 60 at night. We have placed a mobile police station right in the center of Zeytinköy. We will establish a team command, and we will build 15 bachelor lodgings. Our single police officers will live here; it will be a living space. That's our area, and we won't leave," he said, emphasizing the determination to continue the fight.
HUNG A SIGN ON THE WINDOW SAYING "NO DRUG SALES"
Zaimoğlu mentioned that everyone coming to Antalya knows that Zeytinköy is the place to go for drug procurement, and the local residents are disturbed by this situation, stating, "Families living there who do not engage in this activity are writing on their doors, 'No drug sales in this house.'" One of the houses that Dr. Sabit Akın Zaimoğlu, the Antalya Provincial Police Chief, referred to had a sign stuck on its window that read, "No drug sales in this house. Do not disturb," which drew attention.
“THEY WERE DISTURBING OUR CITIZENS AT HOME”
Yeşildere Neighborhood Muhtar Kemal Genbeş stated that the sign hung by a citizen on their window is just one example and that there are hundreds of families in Zeytinköy who have nothing to do with drugs. He said, "One of our residents was so disturbed by the situation that they put up a sign saying, 'No drug sales in our house. Do not disturb' to avoid being approached at night. In fact, there are hundreds of families like this here. The citizens themselves say that this has ended here, that they have withdrawn from this area. The Antalya Police have also made very important decisions here and are conducting decisive operations. Although it was minimal, they were disturbing our citizens at home. That’s why they found a solution by putting up such a sign. I commend our citizen for their courage. We are also their supporters," he said.
“THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS RELAXED WITH OPERATIONS”
Genbeş stated that the neighborhood has relaxed as a result of the operations and efforts made by the Antalya Governorship and the police, saying, "There are operations related to drug dealers and addicts in the area, as well as studies related to transformation. The police are trying to transform this place in collaboration with municipalities through public institutions. But the biggest efforts are being made by the police and the governorship. The most recent operations are decisive operations; we have been waiting for this for years. In the past, our police chiefs and the police organization did these, but the last operation was a termination operation. The neighborhood has relaxed; at least this area has come to an end," he expressed.
A citizen shared a video on social media showing the peace and security environment that has returned to the neighborhood after the measures taken. In the video shot early in the morning in Yeşildere neighborhood, a resident summarized the changes by saying, "Until today, drug addicts were roaming the neighborhood from night until morning. This is our current state. May God bless our state and our security forces."