Habur customs officials in custody

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News
Thursday, June 29, 2006


Thirty-five customs officials were taken into custody at the Habur border gate on Wednesday on charges of allowing oil smuggling from Iraq.
The Silopi Prosecutor's Office was told in a tipoff that some truck drivers and customs officials were allowing the smuggling of oil into the country. The police operation at the Habur gate started at 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, with prosecutors seizing paperwork. According to a law that came into effect on June 21, 2006 all fuel brought into the country in containers is subject to taxation.
The operation comes only a month after 23 customs officials from the Kapıkule border gate were imprisoned by the court for corruption, accepting bribes and allowing the smuggling of alcohol and cigarettes.
The Habur suspects are being questioned by the Silopi Prosecutor's Office.