The "Uyuma" Project: Combating Drug Abuse

The “Don’t Sleep Project” in the Fight Against Drugs

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What Is the Sleep Project?

As is the case worldwide, drug use poses a major threat to our society—especially to our youth—here in our country as well. In the effective fight against drugs, raising public awareness on this issue is just as essential as law enforcement’s efforts to combat crime.
The UYUMA app, developed by the General Directorate of Security using entirely domestic and national software and available for free download on smartphones from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, has been launched with the aim of raising awareness among our citizens—especially our youth—on this issue.
Project Objective
The UYUMA project was developed to foster public awareness in the fight against drugs through technological means, and to create a lasting and robust framework for this fight by enhancing public engagement in line with a sense of social responsibility. This project aims to enable a more rapid response to drug-related crimes.
One of the app’s key features is that the reporter’s identity remains strictly confidential; only the reporter’s phone number is displayed, and third parties will under no circumstances be made aware of it at any stage of the investigation.

Citizens who download the app to their phones will be able to start using it after registering their personal information in the system. A citizen who wishes to report drug trafficking witnessed on the street can do so by tapping the button in the app. The report, which is submitted to the system along with location data, will be forwarded to the team closest to the area. The identity of the person making the report will be kept strictly confidential. The support of our citizens gives us great strength in the fight against crime.

A tip received through the “Uyuma” app, developed by the Ministry of the Interior, prompted police to take action. Nine suspects were taken into custody during a simultaneous operation carried out in Istanbul.

In 2018, the Ministry of the Interior launched a major project as part of its efforts to combat drug trafficking. Thanks to the “Uyuma” app, which can be downloaded for free, authorities can now intervene more quickly against drug traffickers. The “Uyuma” app becomes active once personal information is entered into the system. Anyone wishing to report drug trafficking to the police can do so by pressing a button in the app. The report is immediately forwarded to the police command center. Once the report, along with location data, is received by the system, the police unit closest to the area is dispatched.

Police Officer Okan İlhan said, “When there are people we generally refer to as street dealers, citizens usually file reports about them. If they suspect there is a large quantity of drugs or believe the person is a dealer, the case is always referred to the narcotics unit by the district command center.”

Commissioner Mithat Can Taşkesen said, “Our citizens can rest assured. We will not share the information provided by the person who made the report with any third parties.”

Thanks to this app, 16 locations where street dealers were operating were identified. Simultaneous raids were carried out in four districts on the Anatolian side of Istanbul. Nine suspects were taken into custody during the operation. Various types of narcotics were seized.