The 2018 Report prepared by the United Nations (UN) International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) was shared with the world at the same time. Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, Vice Rector of Üsküdar University, member and former chair of the United Nations Narcotics Control Board for the periods 2005-2010 and 2017-2022, shared the figures regarding Turkey in the report as well as data on the fight against drugs in Middle Eastern countries.
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that Turkey is located on the classic Balkan route where heroin transits from Afghanistan to European countries where it is used, and that Turkey continues to play a transit role, and said, "We have almost doubled the heroin seizures compared to last year. In other words, there is a tremendous increase in catches. Similarly, we have caught almost 10 times more anhydride compared to the previous years. There is a 0 increase in success in the fight against drugs compared to the previous year."
At the press conference held in the Senate Hall of Üsküdar University Central Campus, Üsküdar University Vice Rector, United Nations Narcotics Control Board Member for the periods 2005-2010 and 2017-2022, former chairperson Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy shared the 2018 Report created by the United Nations (UN) International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) with the world at the same time.
Providing information about the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy said: "There are three United Nations Conventions that aim to protect the health and well-being of the world's citizens by controlling access to narcotics and psychotropic substances other than for medical and scientific use, as well as their production, manufacture, distribution, use and trade. All member states are parties to them, with the exception of a few island states in Oceania. No other UN instrument is as universally recognized as these. Compliance with the Conventions is overseen by the UN's independent body, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). According to the Conventions, the Board, which is elected by the Economic and Social Council for a five-year term and consists of 13 experts, is obliged each year to publish a report and annexes based solely on submissions from the competent organs of Governments."
Stating that the 2018 INCB Report primarily focuses on the risks and benefits of the use of Cannabis (cannabis) for medicinal purposes and also evaluates legal developments regarding the non-medical use of Cannabis, Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy said: "The report also has a special annex titled "Access to Internationally Controlled Medicines". In addition, on March 5, 2019, the 2018 Precursors Report will be presented to press members around the world. These reports address a range of regional developments and call for financial and technical support to help Afghanistan tackle the challenges it faces in the fight against narcotics."
"To prevent the world from using heroin and morphine, the Afghanistan problem must first be solved"
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that Afghanistan earned much more from opium than its legal export revenues this year and warned: "Unless the Afghanistan problem is solved, it is not possible to prevent heroin addiction and morphine use in the world."
100% success in capture rate
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that there is a serious success table in the capture rate with various factors such as the measures taken in our country and trained personnel, and drew attention to the success achieved at least 0 in the capture rates. Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy said the following:
"We see that the importance of the classical Balkan route, through which Turkey transits from Afghanistan to European countries, which are the users of heroin, has continued this year. So there is not much decreasing. Although there are many so-called northern and southern routes, the Balkan route is the cheapest, easiest and fastest. Therefore, this is what passes through this country. The important thing is that we have caught almost twice as much heroin compared to last year. In other words, there is such a tremendous increase in catches. Similarly, we have caught almost 10 times as much anhydride compared to the previous years. When the 2018 report on the fight against drugs is compared to Turkey's situation in the 2017 report, there is at least a 0 increase in success. The measure of this success is not the number of drug dealers caught for the Control Board. It is necessary to think in kilograms, liters, tons, in other words macro. What is important is the struggle of security officers against the supply."
We are at the highest level in catches
Stating that the capture rate of the substance passing through our country is at the highest level in the world, Prof. Dr. Atasoy said, "It is already impossible to catch 0. Turkey's police and gendarmerie are always showing an admirable performance. However, this still does not affect the increase in heroin addiction, prevention and access price in Europe."
This fight will not end!
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy said, "The fight against drugs is a never-ending struggle" and added, "For thousands of years people have been using different substances for different reasons. Because the human brain is not self-sufficient. It is necessary to teach society and young people to achieve well-being in other ways, such as through sports." Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that countries do not want their names to be mentioned in this report and said, "The biggest goal is to be mentioned less in the report. We see places where Turkey's name is mentioned, but the vast majority of these are good things."
We are a country with a young population, we have to be careful
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, upon being asked by members of the press about the situation of drug use in Turkey compared to last year, said: "You don't have the chance to do much research on the frequency of drug use. It is not possible to survey school students, the biggest reason for this is the concern of encouragement, because they may learn a substance they have never heard of. Therefore, schools cannot be known. We are a country with a very young population, there is a curious youth. We need to be careful," he warned.
Women do not use hard drugs
Stating that women do not use hard drugs such as cannabis and heroin, but instead prefer prescription drugs, Atasoy pointed out that this situation may be effective in the increase in the number of babies born with disabilities.
Turkey is cited in 20 cases
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy gave the following information about the data on the fight against drugs in Middle Eastern countries as well as the sections in the report attributed to Turkey "The INCB 2018 Report refers to Turkey in about 20 chapters.
Compared to 2016, poppy cultivation areas have decreased worldwide, including Turkey, but Turkey has the largest stock of morphine-rich opium raw material (161 tons of 725 tons of morphine equivalent stock)
Turkey is one of the 40 countries that have activated the International Import-Export Authorization System (I2ES) and one of the 10 countries that have uploaded information to the system
Opiates (heroin, morphine, opium) originating from Afghanistan and destined for Western and Central European countries mainly use the Balkan Route, which passes through the Islamic Republic of Iran, Turkey and the Balkan countries
Turkey participated in the International Conference on Security and Sustainable Development in Central Asia organized by Uzbekistan on 10-11 November 2017
adopted the National Strategy Document and Action Plan 2018 - 2023, which covers the treatment of substance use disorders, rehabilitation, social reintegration and substance use monitoring, as well as numerous legal regulations and security measures
Authorities have stated that the amount of heroin entering European markets will increase in the 2017-2018 period due to the increase in the amount of heroin and acetic anhydride seized in Turkey
While 5.5 tons of heroin was seized in Turkey in 2016, this number increased to 17.7 tons in 2017
9.5 tons of heroin seized between January and June 2018
While 337 kilograms of opium were seized in 2016, this number was 933 kilograms in 2017
According to the authorities, there has been an increase in the transit of trucks with Iranian license plates from the Islamic Republic of Iran through Turkey to Europe, where the target markets are located
According to the authorities, the opium seized in Turkey was targeting the illicit markets in Australia, Canada and the United States
There are signs that heroin production is taking place in Northern Iraq, the increase in heroin seizures entering Turkey from Northern Iraq and the seizure of a significant amount of acetic anhydride en route to Iraq in Turkey's western border region support this situation.
The amount of Cannabis (marijuana) seized in Turkey has increased significantly, reaching 81 tons in 2017 compared to 36 tons seized in 2016
There was a decrease in the amount of cannabis plants seized, while 110 tons of cannabis was seized in 2016, this number was 94 tons in 2017
Turkey is facing serious trafficking of the drug "skunk", a more potent form of cannabis. In 2017, 6.5 tons of skunk were seized, a four-fold increase compared to the previous year,
According to the authorities, the origin of Skunk is Europe, mainly the Netherlands, and the substance reaches Turkey via Central and South-Eastern Europe (mainly Greece)
Cocaine seizures in Turkey increased, from 845 kilograms seized in 2016 to 1.5 tons in 2017
According to the authorities, cocaine trafficking takes place either directly from South American countries such as Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela or through transit from African countries such as Nigeria and South Africa, often using Istanbul Atatürk Airport for this purpose.
According to the authorities, Turkey continues to be a transit country in "captagon" smuggling. Captagon is manufactured or sold in the Middle East, mainly in the Syrian Arab Republic
Terrorist and insurgent groups are also involved in captagon trafficking
While 1588 liters of acetic anhydride were seized in 2016, this number increased to 23000 liters in 2017, and 34000 liters were seized between January and June 2018. Accordingly, the smuggling of acetic anhydride, which is indispensable for heroin synthesis, continues at full speed.
According to the authorities, the source of acetic anhydride is Central and Western European countries, mainly Germany and the Netherlands, while the destination is the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq.
In May 2017, Turkey began inspecting 138 central nervous system depressants due to an increase in the number of new psychoactive substances on the market and added 31 new substances in August 2017.
