Increased drug seizures in Hatay, Turkey related to civil war in Syria

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Turkey is an important country for drug trafficking and the cultivation of cannabis. Opiates from Afghanistan are trafficked through Turkey on route to the Balkans. Currently Hatay, a Syrian neighborhood city of Turkey, is hosting over 85,000 Syrian refugees who are escaping from the civil war. In this short report, we document the potential effects of conflict and related refugee movements in Hatay, on the seizures of illicit drugs. METHODS: We collected records held by the Ministry of Justice, Hatay Court House, of drug seizures between 2008 and 2013. RESULTS: These records show an annual and stable number of drug indictments between 2008 and 2010 (N=67). However, this number rose exponentially after the start of the conflict in Syria: an increase of 84% from 2010 to 2011 (N=123), with continuing and significant increases in 2012 (N=240) and 2013 (N=211). CONCLUSION: The lack of security and the instability in Syria, and the flow of refugees from this country have resulted in an increasing number of illicit drug seizures. These findings suggest the need for better intervention and greater precautions taken against drug trading in conflict zones and the countries surrounding these zones. Language: en