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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| At least it wasn't white slag |
| 2004-12-09 |
| Two North Korean diplomats have been detained by Turkish authorities on charges of drug smuggling, the Associated Press reported yesterday from Istanbul. The North Korean diplomats, based on Bulgaria, were arrested after a raid on Sunday in Istanbul, according to Turkish police. The diplomats were suspected of smuggling hundreds of thousands of narcotic pills into the country. The North Koreans are accused of smuggling fenethylline, a synthetic drug more commonly known as Captagon, from Bulgaria, a police source was quoted by AP. They were attempting to deliver the drugs to two Turks who were also arrested. According to the AP report, a photo of their confiscated car appeared in yesterday's edition of the Turkish newspaper, Milliyet. The car reportedly had diplomatic license plates. Turkish authorities reportedly investigated the case for six months. It remains unclear how Turkey will deal with the North Koreans. Turkey has diplomatic relations with the North, but there is no North Korean embassy in Istanbul. North Korean diplomats have been detained in various places around the world on drug trafficking charges in the past. Pyeongyang uses its diplomats for drug smuggling operations to raise hard currency, largely aimed at funding its military operations, according to testimony of defectors. "State-owned assets, particularly ships, have been used to facilitate and support international drug trafficking ventures," the report said. |
| Posted by:RWV |