

DRAFT
COUNTRY PROFILE
2002
REPUBLIC OF
TURKEY

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;
-
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.
-
The US, as the producer
country and Netherlands, as the transit country are the two central points
with respect to international acetic anhydride trade.
-
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.