Subj: Turkey: Turk Drugs Policeman Says Smugglers Had Him Fired



Pubdate: Tue, 15 Dec 1998



Source: Reuters





TURK DRUGS POLICEMAN SAYS SMUGGLERS HAD HIM FIRED



ISTANBUL, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The police officer heading Istanbul's drugs

squad was transferred to another department on Tuesday and alleged that

drug traffickers had bribed senior Turkish officers to remove him.



The Interior Ministry said it had appointed financial inspectors to probe

the charges brought by Ferruh Tankus, former head of narcotics police in

Turkey's biggest city.



Tankus said he had been transferred to a less prominent department after

drugs smugglers alarmed at his success paid $4 million to unnamed senior

officers.



"In 1998 alone we hauled in five tonnes of drugs in Istanbul, this is why

this happened," he told Reuters.



Tankus put forth his allegations in a news conference he held shortly after

he was notified of his transfer on Tuesday morning.



Anatolian news agency said Tankus had been suspended from duty following

his allegations.



"Two financial inspectors have been appointed by Interior Minister Kutlu

Aktas to investigate the charges put forth by Ferruh Tankus," the ministry

said in a statement.



Turkey is a key point on the so-called "Balkans route" for drug trafficking

from Pakistan and Afghanistan to western Europe. In 1997, Turkish police

seized 2.5 tonnes of heroin bound for Europe.