Nearly 41,000 sub-standard masks seized in Turkey

ADANA, Turkey

Turkish security forces on Sunday seized nearly 41,000 sub-standard masks being produced in an unhygienic environment.

Anti-smuggling teams carried out the operation in the southern province of Adana amid a surge in demand for protective gear due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Police raided a depot that was operating without a permit in the Yuregir district.

A suspect who is a Syrian national was briefly detained.

Turkey has registered 23,934 coronavirus cases and the death toll stands at 501. A total of 786 people have fully recovered following treatment.

Since appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 181 countries and regions.

Data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University shows worldwide infections surpassing 1.2 million with nearly 65,000 deaths. An excess of 247,000 have recovered.

*Writing by Davut Demircan