Apr 26 2007
Intensive struggle against drug trafficking in Turkey increases narcotic prices in Europe
While Turkey has stepped up its efforts against drug use and drug trafficking, prices in Europe have increased.
Dutch authorities have said the increases in prices are related to the large amount of drugs that were seized by Turkish authorities at the Kapikule custom gate.
Most drugs smuggled between West and East pass through Turkey, simply because of its geographic location on the route between south-east Asia and Europe. In recent years, Turkey has increased its operations. In the first four months of 2007 alone, customs officials seized 1.5 tons of drugs.
Dutch security officials have informed Turkish authorities that drug prices in Europe have increased from between 50,000 to 80,000 to 100,000 euros. Istanbul Customs Director Selahattin Aldemir said that Dutch authorities have praised Turkey for its efforts and referred to the increase in prices as a sign of success.
Customs Deputy Undersecretary Bülent Ertem told Today’s Zaman that operations against drug trafficking would continue at full speed. The common belief that you can pass anything through Customs as along as you tip the officials has significantly changed in recent years, Ertem said, adding that the success of operations is related to the trust and cooperation of Customs officials.
Technology has been updated at Custom gates as well, Ertem said, adding, “We have X-ray machines at border gates; we’ve increased the number of drug-sniffing dogs; and we’ve better trained our personnel.”
Noting that drug smugglers can infiltrate men into the security department of some customs gates because they employ agencies, Ertem said in Turkey, Customs did not employ agencies so infiltration was not possible. Ertem also said they’ve received important intelligence and will soon launch a wide-scale operation. He also noted that the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Mafia have connections in smuggling drugs through Turkey.
According to the deputy customs undersecretary, there was a 400 percent increase in drug-operation success in the period between 2002 and 2006, when compared to the 1999-2002 period. The first three months of the new year recorded a 438 percent increase in drug-operation success when compared to the same period of last year. Drug seizures are believed to stop only 10 percent of the drugs that pass through Turkey.
Asked if the increase in volume of drugs that the authorities have seized are a sign that more drugs are passing through Turkey or if Turkish authorities are doing a better job, Ertem said there hasn’t been a significant increase in drug use abroad over the past three months, implying that authorities have been doing a better job.
Recalling that the PKK and Mafia have links to drug trafficking, Ertem said they have received death threats because of the operations they have launched. He also noted that they have been subject to political pressure as well.
On Feb. 3, 2007, authorities seized 58 kilograms of heroin at the Edirne Ipsala border gate. Only six days later, authorities seized 565 kilograms of heroin hidden in pizza boxes at the Kapikule border gate. It was the largest amount of drugs ever seized at a customs gate.
Three days later, authorities seized 202 kilograms of heroin stored in caskets. On Feb. 28, 208 kilograms of heroin were seized in Istanbul and 305 kilograms in Kapikule on March 29.
24.04.2007 AHMET DÖNMEZ İSTANBUL - http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=print&link=109237&yazarAd=
