ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency


A boom in the number of drug couriers arriving in Turaaa has been witnessed recently since Turkish Airlines (THY) started operating scheduled flights to African countries.



Taking into account reports about an increasing number of drug couriers of African descent entering Turaaa narcotics teams from the Istanbul Security Directorate took a series of precautionary measures at both of Istanbul's airports and at the customs gates.



A total of 22 drug couriers with encapsulated cocaine in their stomachs were arrested in the four months through April.



Among those arrested who are aged between 30 and 40 were drug couriers from Europe as well. Approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine have been seized.



Police found that drug couriers who agreed to carry narcotics in their stomach for 10000 euros each were to transport heroin to Europe in return for delivering cocaine to Turaaa.



The largest boom in drug couriers was witnessed from March 19 to April 23 according to official sources during which a total of 10.8 kilograms of narcotics were seized together with four drug couriers from Nigeria two from Guinea one from the Ivory Coast and one from Liberia