DRAFT COUNTRY PROFILE 2002
REPUBLIC OF
TURKEY
1998-1999-2000
I – GENERAL OVERVIEW
Illegal drugs are not only resulting in negative consequences in relations between the person and society and in creating serious problems with respect to both social relations of the person and their intellectual and physical structure but at the same time are restricting their freedom and turn the people into a slave to the drugs. Drug phenomenon dates back to the beginning of history. Drugs have varied depending on different geographical and climatic conditions. It has emerged as coca plant in the American continent and as cannabis in Africa and the other regions of the world. Meanwhile, as a result of the technological developments, they have also taken their place in the world’s drugs market in the form of synthetic drugs (e.g. ecstasy, captagon etc.).
Certain factors play a role in the prevalence of such substances still in the today’s world as it was in the past. Increase in the number of addicts, high profit margin, terrorist activities and the changes in the political structure of the world have significantly influenced drug production and the smuggling routes.
There is a direct proportion between the intensive struggle of the law enforcement units in a country against the use of drugs and the increase and decrease in the number of addicts in that specific country; thus decrease in drug abusing would result in a decrease in the quantity of drugs imported to the country. Even if the drug organizations are dismantled, in case there is still a demand for drugs, such dismantled organizations will be replaced with the new ones, which are seeking for the proceeds of drugs, in the shortest extent.
Drug prices vary significantly from the source areas through the consumption markets. The high profit potential of drugs from their production to their use is an attraction point for such organizations. Such circumstances also fuel the fire for the drug trafficking activities as well.
Increasing terrorist activities in the world leads to the fact that the terrorist organizations are taking their share from the proceeds of the production, transportation and distribution of drugs to finance their activities. It is known fact that certain terrorist organizations pursue such kind of activities preferring the countries, which are producing drugs and where political instabilities prevail, as their area of activity.
Drug trafficking, which has developed on the basis of these aspects, nearly influence all the countries of the world. Although there is an illicit flow from the cultivation areas to consumption markets, there is also an alternative flow of precursor chemicals from the western countries those are utilizing an advanced technology to the illegal drug production centers.
The globalization movements in the world and the transformation of borders into a virtual line only, result in drug trafficking being not only the problem of a single country but its being a regional, international and a transcontinental crime. This situation in general underlines the fact that the source, transit and the consumer countries should equally struggle against illegal drug trafficking.
In the light of this fact, Turkey aims at totally eradicating the activities of such organizations by basing her activities on the following principles;
· Conducting proactive and operational projects,
· Conducting rapid, simultaneous operations,
· Identifying the structures of the organizations,
· Following the financial movements,
· Using new police techniques and tactics,
· Carrying out crime analysis and synthesis,
· Exchanging the data to be obtained with the national and international anti-drug agencies.
Turkey’s geographical location verifies her intensive struggle against drugs.
Turkey is at a location where there are the heroin consumption areas in the west, heroin source countries in the east; and meanwhile with respect to the synthetic drugs and the precursor chemicals, there is an intensive flow from the EU countries to the alternative consumption areas at the east.
When the main lines of illegal drug trafficking between Europe and Asia are examined, it is understood that this traffic does not have a single route but actually demonstrates shifts on the basis of social, political and economic impacts arising from the countries on the route. Efficient struggle of the law enforcement units plays an important role in these shifts as well.
There are three main routes of drugs on the geography where Turkey is also located.
The Balkan Route starts from Southwest Asia, the poppy cultivation areas, passes through the territories of Iran and Turkey and then divides into two main arms over the Balkan Peninsula. The first arm (Northern Road); reaches to the European countries over Bulgaria-Romania-Hungary-Austria. Whereas the second arm (Southern Road) reaches to Italy through the sea, over Turkey and Greece.
The opiates are trafficked from the east to the west and the precursor chemicals and synthetic drugs are alternatively trafficked from the west to the east, over the Balkan route and thus Turkey is subject to a two-way flow.
The Northern Black Sea Route has two separate arms. The first route (Northern Branch) starts from Afghanistan, passes through the Central Asian Republics and reaches to the Western European markets over Russia, Ukraine, Bella Russia and Poland. Whereas the second route (Southern Branch), starts again from Afghanistan, goes through Iran and then directs to the north and passes from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Russia, and finally reaches to the Western Europe.
Although the Balkan Route is still used extensively, the Northern Black Sea Route is used more frequently by the traffickers due to the effective struggle of Turkish Law Enforcement Forces against the drug trafficking organizations, developments in the Central Asia after the collapse of USSR in the 90’s and the restructuring problems of the law enforcement units in those countries.
The seizures also point to the increasing smuggling attempts in the Central Asian Republics and throughout the Northern Black Sea Route. The following heroin seizures were realized in the year 2001: 979 kg. in the Russian Federation, 4239 kg. in Tajikistan, 71 kg. in Turkmenistan, 466 kg. in Uzbekistan, 137 kg. in Kazakhstan and 184 kg. in Kyrgyzstan.
Furthermore, the increase in drug trafficking at the Northern Black Sea Route has also been reflected to the reports of many countries and the international institutions and agencies.
Eastern Mediterranean Route starts from the ports of Pakistan and reaches to the Western Europe markets over the Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Suez Canal.
Drug trafficking organizations continuously seek to develop new methods and strategies. As it is in the Central Asia, the changes at the Eastern Europe have affected the strategies of these organizations. The current developments provided a fertile ground in the Eastern Europe for the drug trafficking organizations seeking for new routes. Therefore the organizations, by taking this advantage, implement the double step method to avoid the risk of being intercepted by the law enforcement forces and to be closer to the consumption sites. With this method, the illegal drug organizations initially store the drugs at the areas deemed to be secure for them, and then are ship such drugs to the Western Europe in batches, after the convenient time and conditions prevail.
Turkish National Police Service attaches importance to operational projects, international cooperation, controlled delivery practices and training in the struggle against drugs trafficking. It continues its activities by basing the struggling efforts on these principles.
A- OPERATIONAL PROJECTS
Turkish law enforcement units have realized some joint operations based on updated information/intelligence exchange with the colleagues in the other countries for the purpose of efficiently struggling against the international drug organizations. Such joint operations target the control mechanisms of the organizations, criminal profits/properties and sources of the drugs. Under the framework of this fruitful cooperation, the following operational projects were realized in the 2001-2002 period.
The following operations were realized in cooperation with the foreign countries:
· Operation THUNDERBOLT with Italy, Germany, Belgium and the UK
· Operation SYMPHONY with Austria and the US
· Operation BALKAN with Germany
· Operation BLACK TULIP with the Netherlands
· Operation NORTH with Sweden
· Operation FLATBED with the UK
· Operation MATADOR and IRON BIRD with Spain, Netherlands and Portugal
· Operation TROY and ISKENDER with Macedonia
· Operation SLEEPER with Bulgaria, Macedonia, Hungary and Italy
· Operation SUITCASE with Germany and Belgium
· Operation CHEST with Netherlands, Germany and Belgium
· Operation TRANSPASİFIC with the US
· Operation VARDAR with the US
· Operation BOSPHORUS with Bulgaria
· Operation GEZGİN 1 and GEZGİN 2 with Spain
· Operation MATRUŞKA with Russia and the US
· Operation BİRLİK-1 with the UK
· Operation ŞOK with the UK.
The following operations were realized domestically:
· Operation KOLİ with İstanbul Directorate of Security
· Operation NERGİZ with the Directorates of Security of Aksaray-Mersin
· Operation AFGAN with İzmir Directorate of Security
· Operation YAKUT with İstanbul Directorate of Security
· Operation EGE with Bursa Directorate of Security
· Operation KARADENİZ with Directorates of Security of Ankara-İstanbul
· Operation KAPAN with Directorates of Security of Ankara-İstanbul
· Operation AKREP with Directorate of Security of İstanbul
· Operation KISKAÇ with Directorates of Security of Van-İstanbul
· Operation SACAYAĞI I-II-III with Directorate of Security of İstanbul
· Operation IŞILDAK with Directorate of Security of İstanbul.
Operations performed under the names Asena and Gezgin can be given as an example for the operational projects.
1- Project Asena-Anadolu
Taking into account the important role of Balkan Route in drug smuggling to the European countries over Turkey and intensive activities of drug trafficking organizations in Germany and Netherlands, the Asena Project of Turkey and the Anadolu Project of Germany had been initiated in the year 1995 to work in collaboration, with the aim of enhancing the already existing mutual cooperation between the two countries. Furthermore, several projects under different titles have been initiated in Netherlands and Belgium in this process.
Under the scope of the Project, major drug families and organizations were taken under investigation for the purpose of identifying the operating structure, discovering the activities and in this way dismantling such organizations. Significant steps were taken during the works jointly conducted thanks to the mutual exchange of information.
The researches have revealed the fact that the families are getting monopolized, becoming professionals in the field of drugs and their structures are getting more systematical. According to the intelligence analyses, the drug organizations acting in Germany today are in general comprised of Turkish citizens born in the eastern provinces.
Under the framework of the Project Anadolu, a significant database has been created regarding the activities of the drug trafficking organizations. This information plays an important role in terms of defining the structuring of the families and the role of their members in the hierarchical structure and this in its turn, allows the project to shed a light upon the investigations and operations against these organizations.
Under the scope of the Project Anadolu; 219 kg of heroin, 10 kg of additives, 301 gr of cocaine and high amount of money derived from drugs were seized in Germany. A total of 107 people were apprehended during these operations. Implementation of the project in Germany was ceased in the second half of 1998.
Under the framework of the Project Anadolu, an efficient and fruitful cooperation process has been experienced between the Department of Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime and BKA of Germany. As a result of the Project Asena in Turkey, conducted in parallel to the Project Anadolu, international operations named Baybaşin, Big Tree and Suitcase were realized. In these operations 861 kg of heroin were seized and many individuals including the senior members of the organizations acting between Turkey and Germany were apprehended. This project has been completed in parallel to the Project Anadolu.
However, planned operations under different names are still being conducted against acting organizations, which were under the scope of the projects Anadolu and Asena.
2- Operations Gezgin 1 and Gezgin 2
An organization consigning drugs to the European countries, Spain in particular, as concealed in suitcases was identified as a result of the seizures on the couriers at the airports of several European countries and Turkey.
Upon this identification, Department of Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime started a project work under the name of GEZGİN in July 2002, with the involvement of İstanbul Narcotics Division and the Law Enforcement Units of Spain, for the purpose of revealing and dismantling the organization.
The efforts of the project group resulted in the establishment of the connections of organization in Spain and Turkey, also the members, the couriers used by the organization and the leaders of the organization. Successively the activities of the organization were taken under control.
Following the identification of the activity areas and the working mechanism of the organization, the operations were initiated in September. After it was determined that the couriers would be going abroad from İstanbul Atatürk Airport with drug concealed suitcases, 5 kg of heroin was seized and two couriers one being a Dutch national were apprehended in the operation conducted jointly by the teams of the Department of Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime and İstanbul Narcotics Division.
During the further investigations, the residence of the individual delivering the heroin concealed suitcases to the couriers was searched and 5 kg of heroin and 2 more suitcases with special concealment were seized. All the connections of the organization were revealed and the necessary initiatives and efforts were started at an international level so as to apprehend the members of the organization in abroad.
Upon the activities carried out under the scope of this operation, Operation Gezgin-2 was realized in September and as a result of this operation, 2 kg. 860 grams of heroin was seized in the suitcase of a foreign national female attempting to go to Italy from İstanbul Atatürk Airport. Furthermore 4 foreign national individuals involved in the organization were apprehended too.
The following common characteristics have been identified regarding the couriers used in both of the attempts;
- Being between the age of 18-30,
- Not having any problem during the border controls,
- Having full and complete documents,
- Having only one baggage,
- Short trip to Turkey,
- Being aware of what they are doing but not having detailed information about the drugs they are carrying,
- That they only take the drugs and know the individuals whom they will deliver the drugs,
- Carrying 1-5 kg. of drugs,
- Carrying suitcases specially designed for concealment,
- Preferring airway as the transportation mean.
As a result of the operations conducted under the project, 1.571 kg of heroin, 21,5 tons of hashish, 600 kg of morphine base, 2810 kg of opium gum, 16, 250 liters of acetic anhydride and 877 Captagon pills were seized and 102 individuals were apprehended including the leaders playing a key role in consigning drugs from Turkey to Europe.
B- CONTROLLED DELIVERY
Turkish National Police Service efficiently realizes national and international controlled deliveries to identifying the final destination of the drugs and the members of the trafficking organization and in this way entirely dismantling the organization. A total of 53 controlled deliveries were conducted up to date under the coordination of the Department of Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime. 34 of these controlled deliveries were conducted with the US, Germany, Romania, Italy, UK, Greece, Russia, Macedonia and Canada and 19 domestically.
C- TRAINING
Tools of technology and training are the main pillars of the struggle against international drug trafficking. Turkish National Police has taken new training initiatives with the importance of personnel training in mind with respect to drugs and organized crimes.
The most important of these initiatives is the establishment of Turkish International Academy Against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC).
Narcotics Division, actually working in the field, shares the experience acquired at the national and international operations with TADOC and also intensively cooperates with TADOC for the purpose of defining the fields of necessary training topics for a more efficient struggle and recovery of the identified deficiencies.
The modifications in the modus operandies of the drug trafficking organizations in parallel to the interdiction efforts of Interim Government of Afghanistan and International Bodies after the operation “Enduring Freedom” could be best seen in the upcoming days. On the other hand, it is also likely that the organizations, depending on the struggling efforts, may seek for new production sites or other drugs that may replace opiates. Depending on the emerging and changing conditions new anti-drug policies should be implemented attaching importance to the International cooperation. International cooperation will be the main motivator of success in this field.
D- INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION:
Turkey, as a country possessing a key geographical location lying from Central Asia to the Balkans, supports all kinds of initiative aiming at promoting international cooperation against transnational crimes. Our country, which shares its experience in the field of struggle against organized crime with all the countries that demand so, furthers its cooperation with the other countries in the struggle and strengthens its current relations with relevant international institutions.
1. International Organizations
Turkey actively participate relevant regional and international organizations’ activities to deal with transnational crimes more effectively.
Some of these organizations, which are involved in the global struggle against transborder crimes, are listed below:
2. Security Cooperation Texts
It is widely known that, apart from the international conventions related to the struggle, the security cooperation texts, which lead the cooperation activities of the countries against crime, form a legal basis. Turkey, being a party to the 1961, 1971 and 1988 UN Conventions on illicit trafficking and supply of drugs and psychotropic substances, has already signed documents on security cooperation with 61 countries.
3. Liaison Officers
Liaison officers play an important role on maintaining the international cooperation among the countries. This method is one of the effective responses to the threat of transborder crimes. In the field of police cooperation, which requires secrecy and speed, a liaison officer has a significant position.
In the framework of the security cooperation texts signed by Turkey, liaison officers are appointed among the officers working in the Turkish National Police. There are also some foreign liaison officers working in Turkey who are appointed by their countries.
4. Organized/Participated Seminars and Meetings in 2002
Within the framework of promoting international cooperation, a lot of meetings and conferences were organized in participation with national and international institutions together with foreign countries in the year 2002, with the contribution and under the coordination of our Department, as so organized in the previous years.
Furthermore, our Department, which carries out its activities as regards arrangement of the national and international legal framework for struggling against organized crime, has performed informative activities all throughout the year so as to ensure relevant national authorities to fully understand and activate the legislation on struggle.
Through these efforts, our Department aims at taking the most appropriate measures against such crimes by means of providing the struggling units with a dynamic approach on the new methods of organized criminal groups.
The most significant meetings and seminars took place in 2002 under coordination and with contribution of our Department are as follows:
a) Southwest Asian Heroin Strategy Conference
“Southwest Asian Heroin Strategy Conference” was organized in Ankara between February 5-6, 2002 by the Turkish National Police and the US Drug Enforcement Agency.
The conference, which was realized in participation with 25 countries, is extremely important in terms of prevention of illicit trafficking in opiates from Afghanistan and in terms of enabling the representatives of relevant countries to have assessments and make remarks on the situation of the countries affected from the smuggling and the possible efficient measures to be taken.
In the course of the conference, the position of Central Asia, which is one of the routes of Afghani heroin to Europe and which is more commonly used as a transit route by the criminal organizations involved in illicit drug trafficking has been discussed under a separate title. At the conference, where various information were given by the participants on struggle against drug smuggling, the answer to the question how to increase efficiency of the struggle within the region was also discussed. Detailed information about the conference was given in the Narcotics Part.
b) SECI Center 13th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) Meeting
The 13th Joint Cooperation Committee Meeting of SECI Regional Center For Combating Transborder Crime, an international institution established with the aim of enlarging the cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the Southeastern Europe that struggle against drug smuggling, terrorism and other types of transnational crimes, took place in Istanbul between August 08-09, 2002 under the coordination of our Department.
More than 40 representatives from SECI member and permanent observer countries and relevant international institutions were present at the meeting. During the meeting, the importance of coordinated and efficient struggle against organized criminal groups was mentioned. It was also emphasized that the SECI Center, which have assumed an operational role from the very beginning of its establishment and have had motivating results in terms of struggling against organized crime, was a regional model institution in this regard.
The new Management of the SECI Center was determined at the 15th meeting of Joint Cooperation Committee in 2002 that was held in 05-06 November 2002 in Romania/Bucharest. As a result of this election, Yalçın ÇAKICI, a security director within the Turkish National Police, was assigned to the position of the Director General of SECI Center.
c) The Meeting On International Struggle Against Transnational Illegal Drug Smuggling
The Institute for Police Training (PFI-Polizei Fortbildungs Institut) is an institution that was established in Germany in 1993, and our country has participated in its activities since 1996.
In cooperation with the said institution, “The International Meeting on International Struggle Against Transnational Illegal Drug Smuggling” was held in Antalya between November 11-13, 2002 in participation with approximately 80 experts from Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Turkey.
The meeting especially gave the drug law enforcement officials the opportunity to know about each other and to share their experiences with others.
II. AN OVERVIEW OF THE ILLEGAL DRUG TRAFFICKING CASES FOR THE YEAR 2002*
Positive results of Turkish law enforcement force’s intensive struggling efforts on the Balkan Route become more visible in the recent years. Drug traffickers began to intensify their activities on the Northern Black Sea Route rather than the Balkan Route due to the secure route principle. This diversion from the Balkan Route could well be observed when Turkey’s drug seizures for the year 2000 are compared with the seizures of the years 2001 and 2002. Intensive struggle of Turkish drug enforcement forces, experiences gained by the law enforcement units, increasing efficiency of these units as a result of the training activities at TADOC and the developments occurred in Afghanistan and Central Asia have been the motivator of this modifications.
The statistics on the drug seizures for the years 2000, 2001 and 2002 on the Balkan Route, directly affecting Turkey, as a result of the struggle against illegal drug trafficking are given below. (Table-II.1, 2, 3)
Table-II.1
Table-II-2
Table-II.3
A- OVERVIEW ON THE BASIS OF SUBSTANCE TYPE
1- Opium and its Derivatives
The geographical location of Afghanistan, the main cultivation area of opiates, allows the transshipment of these substances in more than one route to the consumption markets. Drug trafficking organizations take the advantage of this situation very well and intensify their activities in the areas considered to be secure for them depending on the changes and developments on the routes.
A decrease in the amount of 42% in the year 2001 when compared to 2000 and 30 % in the year 2002 when compared to 2001 has been reported regarding heroin seizures in Turkey, located on the Balkan Route, in the last three years. This situation points to the fact that the route is shifted to the Northern Black Sea Route. (Graphic-II. 1)
Graphic-II. 1
The existence of foreign military forces in Afghanistan results in some modifications at the drug organizations, trafficking activities and drug labs shifted to the northwestern area of country close to the Tajikistan and Uzbekistan border. The traffickers identified that it is easier to transport the illegal drugs over the Central Asian countries through the Russian Federation, where there is easier access and borders which are not controlled by the armed forces, rather than transporting it over Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and Europe. Furthermore, use of the same language (Russian) at a large area from the Afghani border to the Norwegian border in the north, is an important advantage for the traffickers.
The active drug organizations in Central Asia benefit from the poor border controls, existing structuring and the connections between the ethnic groups. Certain agreements are implemented to facilitate passengers cross from the borders due to the increase in passenger and vehicle traffic at the borders. This has significantly decreased the risk of seizure for the traffickers. Therefore, the traffickers shifted their activities to the Northern Black Sea Route in the recent years. (Table-II. 4)
Table-II. 4
The facts that there are more heroin seizures in the provinces of Van and Hakkari at the Eastern border and in the provinces of Edirne and İstanbul at the European continent when the overall heroin seizures in Turkey in 2002 are considered. These seizures constitute 86% of the total seizures in the country and it indicates that the heroin is brought from the countries in the east of Turkey and transferred to the western provinces so as to be later shipped to the various countries of Europe. (Graphic -II. 2,3)
Graphic -II.2
Graphic -II.3
Distribution of heroin seizures over the provinces highlights the importance of Turkey’s location on the Balkan Route. Turkey is a transit country on the Balkan Route.
When compared to the previous years, drugs are seized mostly on small vehicles and there is a decrease in the amounts seized at a time. This demonstrates that the organizations decrease the amount of the heroin shipped over the Balkan Route and make the shipment in small batches due to the high risk of seizure. The fact that the first destination of these organizations after Turkey is the Eastern European countries means they store the heroin in this area before shipment to the countries of the European Union. Furthermore new/subcontractor organizations are utilized for this shipment. This is the method, which is commonly known as “double step”.
Considering that the purity level of heroin is around 80% in the Southwest Asian countries, this level steadily decrease through the consumption markets. (Graphic-IV.4) This is why the organizations intend to increase the amount of the drug and the profit margin as well.
Graphic-II. 4
During the analysis carried out for identifying the source and target of the heroin seized, it is understood that heroin is brought to Turkey from the countries in the East on the grounds of both the statements of the suspects and the evidences gathered (emblems and expressions in Arabic on the cloth bags used in packaging).
The seizure of 4.001 kg of heroin, 8.668 kg of morphine, 79.747 kg of opium, 46.084 kg of hashish and 20.440 liters of acetic anhydride in Iran in 2001,
Identified emblems and expressions on the 34 kilos and 320 grams of heroin to be brought from Iran in a special concealment under the rear seat of a van at Hakkari, Yüksekova in February 2002,
The seizure of 46 kg heroin in Van province supplied from an Iranian national in a a concealment of a vehicle and 19% ratio of Iranians in the total number of the foreign nationals apprehended during the operations in 2002, indicate that Iran has a significant role in drug trafficking to Europe through our country.
Turkey being highly interacted with attaches importance to exchange information with Iran on drug trafficking.
2- Cocaine and its Derivatives
Cocaine trafficking is almost none in Turkey when compared to the other countries because Turkey is far from the South American countries where there is cultivation of coca plant and the US and the European countries where there is intensive abuse of cocaine.
However, organizations, seeking for alternative routes for accessing to the European cocaine market, are attempting to establish new routes including Turkey from time to time.
Graphic-II.5
Seizures made in the last three years are less than 10 kg. (Graphic -II.5) The seizures of 2002 are at gram level except for one case. This shows that Turkey is affected from cocaine trafficking only at user level. (Graphic -II.6 )
Graphic -II.6
79% of cocaine was seized in İstanbul and 21% in the other provinces. The reason for having higher level of seizures in İstanbul is the existence of the factors such as the variety of transportation means namely land, sea and air with connections to different parts of the world, having an intensive passenger traffic and the development level of the entertainment sector (Graphic -II.7).
Graphic -II.7
At the cocaine related
cases of 2002, 76% of the cocaine was seized at the airports and 10% of the
individuals apprehended during the operations were identified to be foreign
nationals involved in the trafficking of cocaine. This data point that
cocaine is brought to Turkey from the European countries in general by the
couriers and the airway is preferred as the mean of transportation.
(Graphic -II.8)
Graphic -II.8
An interesting example could be given as the seizure of 5 kilos 285 grams of cocaine in 56 pieces concealed in a corset wrapped to the waist of a Colombian courier entering into Turkey in February 2002 from Colombia over Amsterdam, Netherlands. An organization, comprised of South American nationals identified to organize the trafficking, was revealed and all the members of the organization were apprehended as a result of the operation.
3- Hashis and Its Derivatives
It is understood from the seizures made both in Turkey and the other countries on the route that trafficking of cannabis and its derivatives are made as well on the drug trafficking routes from Afghanistan to Europe.
Turkey is sometimes affected from the trafficking of Afghani origin hashish trafficking in parallel to heroin trafficking on the Balkan Route. In the recent years Turkey is affected from Albanian origin hashish trafficking in the reverse direction of this flow.
A total of 119 kg of Albanian origin hashish was seized at the 4 cases in 2002. Besides, 25 kg of hashish identified to be brought from Bulgaria in 4 cases, 23 kg identified to be brought from Iran in 11 cases and 4 kg identified to be brought from Afghanistan in 7 cases were seized. (Graphic-II.9)
Graphic -II.9
It has been observed that in general Albanian origin individuals and also the nationals of other Balkan countries are involved in the trafficking of foreign origin hashish trafficking.
7 kilos 622 grams of hashish was seized in the baggage of an Albanian attempting to enter into Turkey as a bus passenger from Edirne / Kapıkule border cross in March 2002.
This substance is smuggled more than the other substances since it is easier to be supplied, cheap and due its use. To this end, hashish is taking the front in Turkey, when the quantity of seizures and the number of the cases are considered.
Graphic -II.10
There is no significant difference between the years, except for the year 2000, in terms of the quantity of hashish seizures (Graphic -II.10). The difference observed in the year 2000 is a result of the seizure of 20 tons 995 kg of Afghani origin hashish in Mersin at once. (Details on this case were explained in our report titled “Anti-Trafficking and Organized Crime 2000”).
Graphic -II.11
When the hashish seizures over the provinces are examined (Graphic -II.11), it is observed that the quantity seized in İstanbul and İzmir are more than the other provinces. The reason for this difference is due to the facts that the number of users in these provinces is more than the other provinces, and that these provinces have ports and they are the access points to Turkey. Since Van is located on the route of entry to Turkey for Southwest Asian origin hashish, there is also an intensive seizure in this province.
4- Overview on Synthetic Drugs
Organizations involved in the trafficking of natural drugs, have accelerated their efforts for trafficking of synthetic drugs for the purpose of recovering their losses incurred due to the struggling efforts of the law enforcement units and taking the share from the new synthetic drugs market. As a result of this developments, Turkey located on the natural drug trafficking routes, has started to be affected from the trafficking of synthetic drugs in recent years (in particular captagon and ecstasy). There is a reported increase in the trafficking and abuse of synthetic drugs in Turkey as it is in the rest of the world. (Table-II.5)
Table
-II.5
a) Captagon
Since there is a high number of users in the Arabic countries (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia) of synthetic drugs with the commercial name captagon, the substance manufactured in the clandestine labs in Europe are shipped to the Arabic countries over Turkey. Clandestine captagon labs are mainly located in the Eastern European countries. It has been identified that majority of the captagon seized in Turkey are coming from the Eastern European countries.
Turkey’s role as a transit country is highlighted with the below examples: in the operation at which 238.452 captagon pills were seized in İstanbul in January 2002, in a lorry as concealed in the trailer, were brought from Bulgaria and the receiver was a Syrian national living in Jordan, at another seizure realized in March 2002 in İstanbul, 350.000 captagon pills were seized as concealed in the trailer of a truck registered in Bulgaria; the pills were brought from Bulgaria and the receiver was a Syrian national.
Organizations involved in captagon trafficking, as a result of the intensive interdiction efforts at the western border of Turkey, have changed their methods for decreasing the cost and being closer to the consumption sites and attempted to manufacture captagon by misusing a legal institution in Turkey, however, their first attempt in Kocaeli was revealed and their extension was avoided. The operation was realized in Kocaeli in July 2002 and all the members of the organization were apprehended together with 4.560.000 captagon pills.
Upon examination of the expert reports on the active substances of the pills seized in three of the cases given as example and the other cases, it has been identified that the active substance of captagon was not phenetylline but amphetamine, ephedrine, caffeine, N-formylamphetamine, quinine and derivatives of amphetamine. Therefore, this type of pills, bearing the logo of captagon but having amphetamine derivatives as the active substance is named as false captagon.
Table-II.6
When the distribution of captagon seizures over the provinces is examined, it is understood that there is intensification in the Western provinces, being the entry point to Turkey. (Table-II.6)
b) Ecstasy
In the recent years, an increase is reported in ecstasy trafficking in parallel to the use of this substance in Turkey as in the rest of the world. (Table-IV.5) It has been identified that ecstasy pills seized in Turkey are brought from the Western European countries, in particular from The Netherlands and Germany, in concealments of the vehicles and as body carry likewise the previous years. An interesting point to be underlined for the seizures of 2002 is that ecstasy pills are brought to Turkey from the Eastern Europe as it is for captagon. (Graphic-II.12)
Graphic -II.12
Seizure of 11.335 ecstasy pills, identified to be brought to Turkey from Netherlands at an operation targeted to the domicile of an individual in Antalya and İstanbul in November 2002,
and seizure of 4344 ecstasy identified to be brought from Netherlands at the domicile of an individual in İstanbul in March 2002, clearly demonstrate the ecstasy route from Europe stretching to Turkey.
When the distribution of ecstasy seizures over the provinces is examined, it is understood that the Western provinces, being the entry point of ecstasy pills to Turkey, are at the front. (Table-II.7)
Having a higher amount of ecstasy abusers in İstanbul when compared to overall Turkey, results in higher number of trafficking cases in this province. İstanbul is subjected to a heavy passenger and cargo traffic since this province is Turkey’s gate to the world. In this respect, it is also used as the entry point to Turkey for ecstasy trafficking.
Table-II.7
It has been identified upon the seizures that ecstasy pills have different colors and logos. This is an indication of the manufacturers’ objective to increase their market share by influencing the users. Ecstasy pills seized in Turkey generally bear the logos McDonald, Mitsubishi (white and pink) and the Smiling Face.
Following are the main reasons for the users to prefer ecstasy;
- People’s perception of use of pills as natural,
- Ease of use,
- Ease of supply and concealing,
- Social and cultural interactions,
- Attractive appearance of the pills in terms of form and color,
- People’s desire to be identical with the group to be involved in.
“Seminar on Struggling Against Transnational Drug Trafficing Organizations” was held between 09-14 November 2002 in Antalya with the participation of 70 experts from Germany, Netherlands and Belgium, as hosted by Turkey.
In the seminar, presentations were delivered on the current topics such as types of synthetic drugs, their production, use and trafficking trends, effects on people and their interdiction by competent and experienced law enforcers both from Turkey and the foreign countries. Following the presentations, decision to jointly struggle against these drugs has been taken and the law enforcement units have stated their will to support each other in this struggle in the best way possible.
5- Overview on the Precursor Chemicals Used in Drug Production
When the trafficking routes of acetic anhydride are examined, there is a flow from mainly the industrialized European countries and the Russian Federation, China and India to the Southwest Asian countries where there are the clandestine manufacturing labs.
Turkey, being a signatory to the “1988 UN Convention Against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances” to prevent the abuse of chemicals used illicit drug production, applies to a tight control on the import and export of the chemicals under this convention. This control is performed by the Ministry of Health. Department of Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime assists the Ministry of Health with respect to the control of such chemicals and is carry out investigations together with the related agencies on the suspicious firms and shipments.
As a result of the multi-dimensional measures and controls taken within Turkey, no diversion is reported under the legal importation regime. Export of 840.309 liters of acetic anhydride to be realized to Turkey between 2001 and 2002 has been notified to Turkey by the exporter countries and all the related transactions have been performed under the supervision of Ministry of Health.
Almost all of these shipments were made from Netherlands and the imported acetic anhydride was used in paint and pharmaceuticals industry.
The seized acetic anhydride within Turkey, particularly at the borders is identified to be diverted at the countries where there are no strict control mechanisms and then brought to Turkey so as to be later shipped to Southwest Asian countries where illegal drugs are produced. As it is understood from these facts, Turkey is affected from chemical trafficking, as a transit country.
“International Acetic Anhydride Meeting” was held in Antalya on 16-19 October 2000, for the purpose of interdicting the diversion of acetic anhydride at national and international trade. At the meeting, an international operation was initiated under the name “OPERATION TOPAZ” as of 1 March 2001 so as to ensure a tight control on the legal movement of acetic anhydride the main substance used in heroin manufacturing, at a worldwide level.
The Steering Committee of the Operation Topaz held its first and second meetings on 19-20 December 2000 and 23-24 October 2001 in London and the third meeting on February 21-22, 2002 in New Delhi, India for the purpose of making the necessary assessments. In these meetings, development of the Operation Topaz, progress of the schedule and the further steps to be taken regarding the operation were discussed. It has been decided to extend the schedule, supposed to be completed by the end of February 2002, for another year and to appoint the Director of Narcotics Division, Department of Anti-Trafficking and Organized Crime to the vacant post of the office of co-chairman. Another meeting was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan between 14-18 October 2002 to assess conducted studies in the framework of the operation during the year 2002.
Following results were obtained upon the assessments under the body of International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), within the framework of the Topaz Operation;
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Acetic anhydride is still being produced in 12 countries. These are as follows: Argentina, China, France, India, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, USA and Uzbekistan. Iran, Switzerland and Uzbekistan, among the producer countries, have not yet reported the export of this substance.
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The US, as the producer country and Netherlands, as the transit country are the two central points with respect to international acetic anhydride trade.
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USA and Netherlands hold 74% of the overall world’s export. USA has the largest share in the world overall export with a ratio of 45%.
· During the assessments, 30 countries including Turkey were stated to be at the status of end-user country in a way not making exportation to the regions other than their own land. Acetic anhydride imported to Turkey is used in the textile dye and pharmaceuticals industry.
Below is the distribution of diverted acetic anhydride seized in Turkey over the years (Graphic-II.13).
Graphic-II.13
When the distribution of acetic anhydride seizures in Turkey over the provinces is examined, it is understood that majority of the seizures were realized in Bursa, Elazığ, İstanbul, Van, Hakkari, Kilis and Gaziantep. (Table-II.8)
Table-II.8
It has been identified as a result of the investigations related to acetic anhydride that European origin acetic anhydride is brought to the country from Kapıkule border cross and Russian Federation origin acetic anhydride from the ports of Samsun and Zonguldak. It is difficult to identify the origin of the acetic anhydride because the trafficking organizations are using unlabelled barrels instead of original barrels and keeping the substance for long time at the countries where they consider to be secure.
The existence of an organization attempting to bring high quantities of acetic anhydride supplied from the Russian Federation was identified as a result of the joint activities with the authorities of US and Russian Federation in December 2002. A working group was established for in order to reveal the members of the organization together with the criminal evidences. The lorry arriving Port of Samsun, Turkey from the Russian Federation was taken under surveillance up to Elazığ under the controlled delivery decision taken from the authorities, to identify the suppliers of acetic anhydride in the Russian Federation, receivers and the final destination in Turkey and apprehend all the members of the organization. Upon identification of all the individuals involved in the organization, 3 tons 496 liters of acetic anhydride was seized at an operation realized in Elazığ and the organization were dismantled through apprehension of 14 individuals including the supplier of acetic anhydride in the Russian Federation, organizers of the sales within Turkey and the receivers of the substance. During the investigations, connection of KADEK (PKK) terrorist organization was identified in terms of the supply of acetic anhydride from the Russian Federation and its transfer to Turkey.
Activities aimed at identifying the source of acetic anhydride seized in Turkey are given below (Table-II.9).
Table-II.9
As a result of the comprehensive studies in Bursa in January 2002, high quantities of acetic anhydride were identified to be found at a warehouse and 10.700 liters of acetic anhydride, identified to be brought to the port of İzmir from Yugoslavia and then to Bursa so as to be later shipped abroad, was seized at the operation.
In the second case a total of 15.450 litters of acetic anhydride was seized in August 2002, as 10.300 litters of acetic anhydride in a lorry coming from Macedonia and attempting to enter into Turkey from Edirne İpsala Border Cross and one hour after this seizure, 5.150 litters of acetic anhydride in a second lorry coming from Macedonia.
1850 liters of acetic anhydride were seized in the concealments of a lorry at an operation realized in İstanbul targeted at a lorry entering into Turkey from the port of Zonguldak via sea from Ukraine and likely to go abroad.
As it is understood from the two examples, organizations, trafficking this substance prefer transportation via sea or container transportation via lorry, and cargos, which suppress the odor of acetic anhydride as the legitimate cargo.
Controlled delivery method is applied to reach the clandestine labs, which are the final targets of acetic anhydride investigations. However, success at controlled deliveries with respect to AA trafficking requires long time, technical works and professional efforts.