Opposition presses government on 616-kilo cocaine stash seized in Turkey-bound ship

Photo: Senan Panama

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Two opposition deputies have submitted parliamentary questions to the vice president and the minister of interior about a 2020 incident where 616 kilograms of cocaine were seized in a Turkey-bound ship by the Panama police.

The ship in question set sail in April 2020 from the Puerto Bolivar Port in Ecuador for Mersin, southern Turkey. The cocaine stash was seized in early May.

According to the Panama authorities, cocaine bags were hidden in banana packages.

The port where the ship departed is operated by the Turkey-based Yılport Holding, as per an agreement signed by the presidents of Turkey and Ecuador in 2016.

Yılport Holding

In his parliamentary question, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Mersin Deputy Dr. Rıdvan Turan recalled previous reports about cocaine trafficking and Yılport Holding.

"Yılport Holding also became a talking point when a ship that had carried 540 kilos of cocaine was granted clearance by customs officials in August 2020 in the Dilovası Port in Kocaeli, which was named after the company as the Yıport Port," he said, addressing Vice President Fuat Oktay.

It was clear that the two incidents involving cocaine delivery were not a coincidence, he said, adding that the authorities should investigate the company.

"It must be made clear who are the capital owners and shareholders of Yılport Holding and whether they had a relation to the cocaine shipment.

"Also, the accounts of the revenue that Yılport Holding generated through the ports it operates should be transparently shared with the public. Otherwise, the cocaine shipment will put the Presidency and the relevant ministries under suspicion."

The five-ton delivery from Colombia

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Mersin deputy Altay Antmen submitted a parliamentary question for Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu.

He also mentioned a cocaine delivery to Turkey that was prevented by Colombia in June 2020.

"On 9 June 2020, about five tons of cocaine was seized in a ship at the Buenaventura Port, Colombia. The ship's destination was Turkey. It was stated that the drugs were sent to a chemical company in İzmir.

"An average of one-and-a-half-tons of cocaine is seized annually in Turkey. However, the amount of cocaine sent to İzmir and Mersin is alone equal to the total amount of cocaine seized in Turkey in four years."

Antmen asked Soylu who were the planned recipients of the cocaine in Turkey and whether an investigation was opened against those people and companies.

"Who or who is involved in this great cocaine shipment in Turkey? Has the Panama police been contacted on the matter? If so, what information did the Panama police provide?" he also asked. (DŞ/VK)