ANKARA
Turkish Ministry of Trade and Customs is increasing its capacity to fight against smuggling in the seas and ports.
Turkish Customs Modernization Project, with a budget of 15.6 million euros, initiated on June 17, 2011 within the scope of EU-TR Financial Corporation has been completed and it was decided that ten sea patrol boats, 5 container screening systems and 25 specially equipped patrol vehicles will be bought.
Minister of Customs and Trade Hayati Yazici told "with the systems we install in our ports, we will reduce waiting time by controlling the trucks and containers in a shorter period" in a written statement.
Yazici also stated that the Ministry was taking extra measures to fight against smuggling in the seas, especially for fuel oil and human smuggling, and added that they caught 205 million liras worth of drug, fuel oil and commercial goods in the first ten months of 2012.
Reporting by Bulent Karaaslan
