Turkey: Raids target illegal mask, sanitizer producers

ANKARA

Over the last month Turkey carried out nearly 300 raids on unauthorized producers of cologne, protective masks, and sanitizers, said officials on Thursday.

At least 288 operations were done by security forces and gendarmerie units across 65 provinces from March 9 to April 8, with over 200 people facing charges and six arrested, said an Interior Ministry statement.

The operations came amid rising demand for protective masks, disinfectants, and cologne due to the coronavirus outbreak, leading to some opportunists producing and selling through the black market.

Among the seized products included more than 5.92 million masks, 57,616 meter-long mask cloth, 14,305 pairs of gloves, 3,205 protective clothes, 32,749 kilograms of chemical products, 469,435 disinfectants, 38,342 liters of cologne, three production machines, 56,687 empty bottles, 302 liters of scents, 427,000 tags for bottles, 37,750 serum caps, 32 rolls of threads and 19 rolls of iron.

At least 369 unauthorized firms were reported to the Ministry of Trade for selling disinfectants, colognes, masks, gloves, food products and thermometers and 467 other products.

Organized crime control bureau officials started investigations into the firms selling products for high prices and stockpiling.

Turkey has taken steps to offer free face masks to the public through the mail and in stores.

Since the virus emerged last December in the Chinese city of Wuhan, it has spread to at least 184 countries and regions.

There are nearly 1.5 million confirmed infections worldwide and almost 89,000 deaths, according to the U.S.’ Johns Hopkins University.

Almost 332,000 people have recovered.

*Firdevs Bulut contributed to this story