PANAMA-TURKEY-DRUG-SEIZURE
Members of the Panamanian National Aeronaval Service of Panama (SENAN) organize packages of seized drug in Panama City on May 18, 2019. - The SENAN seized 1.5 tons of cocaine inside a container that had Turkey as its final destination at the Cristobal container port in Colon. Photo by Mauricio VALENZUELA / AFP Photo credit should read MAURICIO VALENZUELA/AFP via Getty Images

After nine-month surveillance, the anti-narcotics teams in Turkey's capital Ankara revealed the drug pipeline between the drug cartels in Colombia and Turkey, authorities said.

Colombia-Turkey Drug Pipeline

According to Hürriyet Daily News, the anti-narcotics team of Turkey's capital unveiled the cocaine route between a Colombian drug group, Cali Cartel and 7 Turkish drug barons.

Based on the October 3 report of the Turkish anti-narcotics team, the drug group from Colombia, Cali Cartel, used air and sea routes in their drug distribution to the foreign country. The Cali cartel concealed the cocaine inside boxes of several products like bananas, coffee, strawberries, and even flowers.

The cargo planes used by the Colombian cartel were making stops not only in the Netherlands but also in the United States before the shipment would arrive in Turkey.

While the ships carrying the illegal drugs had only one stopover in Italy prior to their arrival at the port located in the southern province of Mersin.

Moreover, the news agency reported that the Cali cartel also utilized countries like Ecuador and Brazil as a dispatch point in moving cocaine to the foreign country to avoid suspicions from the Turkish government.

"The cocaine packages were covered with tar to prevent sniffer dogs from spotting the drugs," the news agency reported.

Furthermore, the seven drug lords in Turkey were assigned to have different roles in dealing with the cocaine shipment. One of them was considered as the "messenger" between the Turkish ties and the Cali cartel.

Two of them were assigned to manage the financial leg of the Colombia-Turkey Drug Pipeline.

Also, two drug lords were responsible for handling the drug shipments at the drop points like in ports and airports. While the remaining two members of the Turkish drug organization were assigned to roll the illegal drugs out to the market.

The Turkish drug group distributed the illegal drugs in areas like Istanbul and other neighboring provinces of Kocaeli and Sakarya after receiving the cocaine shipment from the Cali cartel.

"Before the first delivery, the 'messenger' went to Columbia 'to be taken, hostage.' Once the cocaine was transferred in a two-month ride and the money was paid later, Cali cartel released the messenger," the news agency also explained the trust bond formed between the Colombians and the Turks.

Drug Mule Dies After Cocaine Capsules Burst in His Stomach During Istanbul Layover

Police in Turkey said that a drug mule from Ecuador who was traveling from Spain back to Ecuador died after cocaine capsules hidden in his stomach burst during a stopover in Istanbul.

The 45-year-old Ecuadorian national was heading to an outgoing flight in a terminal in Istanbul Airport for a connecting flight to Ecuador capital Quito when he collapsed.

After collapsing at the terminal, the Ecuadorian national hit his head on the ground, but he was provided first aid by the health care crews present at the airport. The medical group took the man to a hospital, but he succumbed also due to the wound in his head.

Based on the examination conducted by the forensics, the victim was poisoned when two capsules of cocaine exploded inside his stomach.

The report of Daily Sabah, the Turkish police found 400 grams or 14 ounces of cocaine in his stomach when he was examined.

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Written by: Jess Smith

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