Illegal drug trade in Turkey

an Ottoman opium seller; engraving from 1850 by Francis William Topham

The illegal drug trade in Turkey has played a significant role in its history. Turkish authorities claim that Drug trafficking has provided substantial revenue for illegal groups such as the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK),[1] particularly through marijuana cultivation in south-eastern Turkey,[2] and the 1996 Susurluk scandal showed substantial involvement in drug trafficking on the part of the Turkish deep state. The French Connection heroin trade in the 1960s and 70s was based on poppies grown in Turkey (poppies are a traditional crop in Turkey, with poppy seed used for food and animal fodder as well as for making opium).[3]

Turkish penalties for possession, use and trafficking of illegal drugs are labelled "particularly strict" by the US Embassy in Ankara.[4]

  1. ^ mfa.gov.tr, Turkey's Efforts Against The Drug Problem
  2. ^ Today's Zaman, 24 September 2012, PKK runs major illegal drug trade in Turkey's Southeast Archived 2013-07-30 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference crossfire was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ turkey.usembassy.gov, Penalties for Drug Offenses Archived 2013-08-02 at the Wayback Machine