Turkish singer Ilyas Yalcintash is facing a prison sentence of at least 10 years on charges of trafficking or supplying narcotic or stimulant substances.

Axar.az reports, citing Anadolu Agency, that an indictment prepared by the Bakirkoy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office states that an investigation was launched following intelligence suggesting that well-known individuals were using drugs and sharing them with others.

During searches at Yalcintash's residence, investigators seized two grinders used for cannabis, a precision scale and a jar containing what were believed to be plant fragments.

The indictment also cites voice and text messages exchanged through messaging applications with contacts saved as “Aytac Kartt” and “Mami Rodi,” which investigators assessed as potentially related to drug trafficking.

In his statement, Yalcintash denied using drugs. He said the substance in the jar was thyme sent by his mother, the grinders were gifts from a friend named Bugra Atesh, and he used the precision scale to monitor his diet because of his fitness activities.

However, laboratory tests of his blood and hair samples reportedly detected a metabolite of THC, the active component of cannabis, as well as cocaine.

The indictment was accepted by a heavy penal court before the case was transferred to Istanbul’s 19th Heavy Penal Court following a jurisdictional decision.

In recent months, Turkiye has been conducting large-scale operations as part of its crackdown on drugs. Dozens of well-known figures, including prominent actors, television presenters and bloggers, have been detained in Istanbul during these operations.