Cars And Trains Used In Drug Smuggling

KONYA - Cars are used in 47 percent of drug smuggling in Turkey, it was reported.
According a report of ''Narcotics, Organized Crimes and anti-smuggling Department'', drug smugglers are taking advantage of facilities in communication and transportation.
In 49 separate smuggling incidents registered in Turkey in 2003, 14 foreign plate and 35 Turkish plate cars were used to carry drug.
Almost all the drugs are transported in secret parts of the vehicles. The smugglers mostly use fuel engines, floor and ceiling refrigerators of trucks to hid the drug.
For the first time in 2003, they also started to use trains to smuggle drug. Trains, travelling on international lines, have very large places which the smugglers can hid the drug.
Trains are also appropriate for the smugglers due to limited waiting time at stations and lack of detailed controls in railway cars.
306.7 kg heroin was seized in ceiling of a railway car in 2003.
(AY-ULG) 03.08.2004