Around 90 percent of the illegal immigrants who are smuggled into the European Union enter by crossing the Maritsa (or Evros) river between Turkey and Greece. The migrants pay human smugglers up to $10,000 (7,950 Euros) to guide them into the EU. On heavily traveled days, up to 500 people illegally enter the EU a day through this route.
Tag: Turkey Security Threats
Online Gambling in Turkey
Police reported in 2012 that it had discovered around 500,000 people in Turkey illegally gambling on 400 different gambling websites.
Counterfeit Goods in Turkey
The counterfeit goods market in Turkey is estimated to be worth $6 Billion in 2011, double the market value of $3 Billion in 2010. Counterfeit purses are the most counterfeited product made and sold in Turkey.
Amount of Fuel Smuggled Into Turkey Each Year
The national police stated in a report that up to 2.7 million tons is smuggled into Turkey each year, causing losses of $2.5 Billion in tax revenue.
Antique Smuggling in Turkey
In 2010, law enforcement in Turkey recovered over 68,000 antique items from nearly 5,000 black market smugglers.
Criminal Smuggling in Turkey
Drug trafficking in Turkey generated $1.7 Billion in 2010, according to a report by the Istanbul Chamber of Public Accountants and Financial Advisers. Human smugglers in Turkey made $440 Million moving illegal migrants out of the country, and the bootlegging of alcohol on the black market brought in $60 Million.
Seizures of Cigarettes and Alcohol in Turkey in 2010
959,486 packs of smuggled cigarettes were found in Turkey in 2010, an increase of almost 50 percent from the 448,092 packs found in 2009. 38,219 bottles of smuggled alcohol were discovered in 2010, an increase of 63 percent from the 23,459 bottles discovered in 2009. There was also an increase of counterfeit alcohol bottles in… Continue reading Seizures of Cigarettes and Alcohol in Turkey in 2010
Human Trafficking Prosecutions in Turkey in 2010
430 human trafficking suspects were prosecuted in Turkey between January to September 2010. 150 suspects were eventually acquitted.
Human smuggling between Greece and Turkey
The European Union estimates up to 80,000 illegal migrants enter Greece each year through Turkey. Many use human smugglers for the journey. Due to the high demand and competition, migrants often do not have to pay unless the smuggling is successful.
Revenue from Heroin Smuggling by the PKK
Drug trafficking of heroin by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey generates between $50 Million to $100 Million a year.