New details revealed about Turkey’s role in global drug trafficking
The Minister of the Interior of Turkey Süleyman Soylu on April 16 declared that 258 kilograms of drugs had been seized in the Turkish port of Mersin. Operation was conducted by the provincial gendarmerie command. Law enforcement agencies detained 3 persons.
Turkey holds a leading position among the Middle East countries on transit of narcotic substances from Latin America. Total passing ability of cocaine through large transport hubs of Turkey to the countries of EU, the Middle East and Commonwealth of Independent States’ republics is estimated at around 200 tons per year. The route of movement of drugs passes from Ecuador (port of Puerto Bolívar) to the Turkish cities of Izmir (port of Yalıkavak) and Mersin – further to the countries of the European Union – Italy, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Spain. The supply channel is organized and continues to be controlled by the former high-ranking officials of Turkey, including Mehmet Agar, the former Minister of Justice and Minister of Interior of the Republic of Turkey.
Against the background of strengthening the control from the US special services of maritime space of the countries of Latin America and due to the need of covering up logistic routes of transportation of drugs the Turkish businessman Erkan Yıldırım under cover of a business activity left to Venezuela to sign the contracts to deliver Venezuelan dairy products to Turkey three times in 2021 (the destination – the port of Yalıkavak). As a result the contracts with 25 merchant ships of the Yilport and BMZ companies were signed for ferrying goods from Venezuela. At the same time Erkan Yıldırım is the son of the Former Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yıldırım – business partner and the close friend of Mehmet Agar.
The route of cocaine traffic passes through deployment sites of wholesale buyers. There is removing of a part of narcotic goods for retail sale in domestic market at each transshipment point. So, in the city of Izmir cocaine is reloaded into the yachts belonging to inner-circle of the Turkish businessman, mafia leader Halil Falyalı who was killed in February. Then it goes to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, exactly to the port of Gazimağusa where it is unloaded for safe keeping in storages of a network of hotels «Grand Yazici» owned by partner of Yilport transport company, entrepreneur Hayri Yazici.
Transportation of drugs from the territory of Northern Cyprus is performed by private yachts straight to seaport of the Syrian city of Latakia, then cocaine is fragmented into smaller parts. One part is intended for being sold in the territory of Syria, another – for deliveries to Iran, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan. The part of proceeds from such sales in the territory of Syria is destined for financing of the pro-Turkish illegal armed groups in the Middle East and lobbying activities of Ankara’s proxies in foreign countries.
Besides, from the territory of Iran the part of the load is transported to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia for further delivery to the CIS countries and the Russian Federation. Dealers try to deliver drugs to the territory of Russia through the multilateral automobile check point Adler on border with Abkhazia, the customs post Derbent on border with Azerbaijan, the Upper Lars check point on border with Georgia, ports in Astrakhan and Makhachkala. Customs officers and border personnel of Russia and the states of the CIS find the forbidden narcotic substances generally in large consignments of Iranian and Azerbaijani vegetables and fruit.
Today Turkey still remains the large transport corridor of delivery of narcotic substances from the countries of Latin America to Europe, Persian Gulf countries and the states of CIS. At the same time the Turkish former high-ranking officials remain involved in managing of drug trafficking channels while their efforts are focused on personal enrichment, lobbying of interests of Turkey in the Middle East and providing financial support to the pro-Turkish armed opposition in Syria.