The "slimming pills, vitamins, medicinal and herbal medicines" seized last year within the scope of the activities of combating drug and medical equipment smuggling by the Customs Enforcement Team of the Ministry of Commerce attracted the attention with their high amounts.
At the beginning of this year, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan announced the anti-smuggling figures at customs for 2020, and said that 4 billion 149 million lira worth of illegal goods were seized in 4 thousand 403 incidents. Noting that they increased the seizure figure in 2019 by 2020 percent in 40, Pekcan also gave information about illegal drugs and food products.
Production of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, import and placing on the market organized by the Ministry of Health under the provisions of special legislation performing drug-denominated goods movements in Turkey is tracked through Drug Tracking System.
Within the scope of combating drug and medical equipment smuggling, which threatens human health and causes tax losses in the country, the Ministry of Commerce Customs Enforcement teams seized medical supplies and drugs worth 2020 million 270 thousand 64 lira in 741 incidents in 260.
In the operations carried out by the Customs Enforcement units, 699 thousand 776 medical drugs, 296 thousand 224 vitamin pills, 19 thousand 471 herbal medicines, 57 thousand 115 sexual enhancing drugs, 669 weight loss drugs were seized.
In addition, 13 million 203 thousand 420 illegal various medical equipment did not go unnoticed by the teams.
Nuts and tea are at the top of the illegal food list
Within the scope of food smuggling activities, products worth 344 million 233 thousand liras were seized in 451 incidents last year, mainly tea, walnuts, vegetable oil, meat and meat products.
A series of measures have been taken by the Ministry, notably the Vehicle Tracking System, against food smuggling, which is carried out by methods such as trying to bring the goods to the country by not declaring it or leaving it in the country against the provisions of the transit regime.
In this context, smuggling of 128 tons of tea worth 15 million 259 thousand liras was prevented in 176 incidents, while 39 thousand 79 tons of dried fruits worth 763 million 4 thousand liras were seized in 212 incidents.
In 69 incidents, the teams seized 20 thousand 133 tons of illegal fruit and vegetables worth 19 million 726 thousand liras.
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