Cops Burn 20 Tons of Weed… and Accidentally Hotbox an Entire Turkish Town
A small town in southeastern Turkey was engulfed in a literal haze last month—after police burned over 20 tons of confiscated cannabis, unintentionally hotboxing an entire community of 25,000 people.
The incident took place in Lice, a rural district in Diyarbakır province, known for cannabis seizures and counter-narcotics operations. On April 18, local gendarmerie torched 20 tons of seized weed in an open-air drug disposal event that would soon turn into an unplanned mass contact high.
A Hazy Aftermath
According to TurkiyeToday.com, thick clouds of THC-heavy smoke drifted across the town, with locals complaining of dizziness, nausea, and hallucinations. “The smell of drugs has been enveloping the district for days,” one resident told media. “We cannot open our windows. Our children got sick. We are constantly going to the hospital.”
Authorities had collected the massive weed stash—valued at nearly €230 million—over a two-year span. But instead of using a controlled facility for incineration, the gendarmerie burned the drugs out in the open, compounding the effects on the unsuspecting town.
A Fiery Public Display
To make things even stranger, officers reportedly arranged bags of weed to spell out “Lice” before setting them on fire—a display condemned as unprofessional and dangerous by drug awareness advocates.
“This was perhaps done as a preventive measure to deter drug use,” said Yahya Öğer, head of the Yeşil Yıldız Association. “But the fact that it was destroyed in the city center could cause serious discomfort. The smoke can intoxicate people just like passive smoking from tobacco.”
Öğer also called for future cannabis disposals to take place in filtered factories, not residential zones.
Community Health Concerns
Though no official complaints have been filed, media outlets and local organizations continue to report widespread discomfort. Parents say children are experiencing sickness, while residents have had to seal windows and stay indoors to avoid further exposure.
Despite this, officials have defended the operation as part of a broader “narco-terrorism” crackdown aimed at cannabis producers and traffickers allegedly linked to the PKK, a Kurdish militant group.
A Long History of Weed Warfare
Lice and the greater Diyarbakır region have long been hotspots for drug-related law enforcement. In previous years, Turkish security forces seized over 1 million cannabis plants and hundreds of kilos of heroin in the area. Authorities accuse the PKK of funding its activities through cannabis farming and heroin production, with sales reportedly reaching Europe.
The recent haul came from 13 cannabis fields, many equipped with concealed irrigation systems. Security forces also uncovered heroin hidden in sacks on rural land plots.
Calls for Change
While officials see the operation as a victory against drug trafficking, critics say the careless disposal method caused unnecessary harm. Öğer’s group has offered to help police and schools with drug education programs, urging a more thoughtful and responsible approach moving forward.
For the town of Lice, the incident was a harsh reminder that even fighting drugs can come with a serious contact high.
