Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
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Revue <strong>de</strong> Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro <strong>de</strong> la Prensa-BaSln Öz<strong>et</strong>i<br />
, Turkish Daily News MONDAY,MARCH3,1997<br />
US report points to'Turkish police<br />
corruption in drug investigations'<br />
'Four-to-six m<strong>et</strong>ric tons of heroin<br />
a month leave Turkey for<br />
western Europe'<br />
Turkey is <strong>de</strong>clared among the<br />
worst for money laun<strong>de</strong>ring<br />
UGURAKINCI<br />
Washington-Turkish<br />
DsHy News<br />
.The U.S. State Department published its<br />
1997 global report on narcotics trafficking,<br />
one which won 't bring ,smiles to any faces '<br />
in Turkey since it portrays the country as "a '<br />
major transit route for southwest Asian narcotics<br />
(especially heroin) for the western<br />
Eurooean mark<strong>et</strong> and, toa lesserextent, the<br />
U.S. 4 -, '<br />
Police corruption<br />
What' s more, some of that trafficking is<br />
carried out through various cOrruJ?tofficers<br />
within the Turkish security {)rgamzations,<br />
the report alleges or implies.<br />
Concerning the case of the money courier<br />
coming from Europe on her fIfti<strong>et</strong>h trip<br />
in 1996, the U.S. State Department's 1997<br />
International Narcotics Control Strategy<br />
Report says, "Police corruption in drug<br />
investigations, long kept un<strong>de</strong>r the surface,<br />
appears to be fmally coming to light."-The<br />
,arrested courier "i<strong>de</strong>ntifIed senior Turkish<br />
police officers as her conduit for the drug<br />
money shecarried."<br />
Susurluk<br />
The "Susurluk scandal" was also touched<br />
upon in the report as a serious case of<br />
"alleged corruption of st,ate officials," with,<br />
however, the explanation that "there is no<br />
goveinment of Turkey policy encouraging<br />
or facilitating the illicit production or distribution<br />
of drugs, or money laun<strong>de</strong>ring.<br />
"In November, 1996, a Merce<strong>de</strong>s carrying<br />
a member of Parliament, a former '<br />
<strong>de</strong>puty police chief, and'a wanted Interpol<br />
mur<strong>de</strong>r suspect (alleged to be a ~t ~ for<br />
Turkish drug traffickers) (and his grrlfriend)<br />
crashed into a truck, killin~ the '<br />
occupants (sic)" - except the politician,<br />
one might add. Interior Minister Mehm<strong>et</strong><br />
Agar; a former po~ce chief himself~ h~d to<br />
resign after the event. ,<br />
, On the positive si<strong>de</strong>, the State<br />
Department r~port drew attention to the fact<br />
that all the corruption elicited public outrage<br />
and had put the issue on the political<br />
•agenda. "Corruption and money laun<strong>de</strong>ring<br />
have become major topics on Turkey's<br />
political agenda ...<br />
The public outrage of the disclosures (of<br />
police corruption in drug investigations)<br />
bo<strong>de</strong>s well for nee<strong>de</strong>d changes in anti-corruption<br />
efforts."<br />
Processing and drug routes<br />
"Turkey is not, and is not likely to become,<br />
a major illicit opium-growing country or a<br />
producer of jJI'ecursor chemicals. It does<br />
playa significantrole in erocessing opiate<br />
raw material into heroin, the study said.<br />
While illicit drug trafficking is a problem,<br />
"licit opium production is strictly controlled,<br />
and there has been no known diversion<br />
into illicit chaDnels."<br />
"As much as 75 percent ofheroin seized<br />
in Europe bas been processed in or smuggled<br />
through Turkey," the report. said.<br />
"Turkey is an important processing center<br />
of illicit opiate products, and a traditional<br />
narcotics transit route ... the DEA estimates<br />
that four to six mt (m<strong>et</strong>ric tons) of heroin a ,<br />
month leave Turkey for western Europe."<br />
Istanbul not mentioned<br />
In last year's report, Istanbul was spotligbted<br />
as a "key drug transit and processing<br />
center." In this year's report, the city is not<br />
mentioned as such.<br />
As in last year's report, Turkey's control<br />
over the Balkans route was again empha-<br />
"sized. ''Turkish trafficking groups, WIth<br />
distributors in <strong>et</strong>hnic enclaves in major<br />
European cities, control much of the<br />
Balkan route heroin tra<strong>de</strong>,"- this year's<br />
study read. ,<br />
Morphine base, heroin base, and heroin<br />
from Pakistan, Afghanistan'and Iran "are<br />
smuggled into Turkey across the<br />
TurkishlIranian bor<strong>de</strong>r or through Turkish '<br />
ports,"- the study explained. "These drugs<br />
transit Turkey to western Europe, most<br />
commonly in TIR (sealed Transport<br />
Internationale Routier) trucks."<br />
PKK and drugs<br />
The Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK)<br />
involvement ,in Qr1Jgs.isalso confmned<br />
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