Over US$15 billion worth of illicit drugs are trafficked annually from Turkey to foreign markets through the occupied north of the island, a Turkish Cypriot professor has disclosed.
Zeki Besiktepeli told the House Crime Committee that quantities of drugs are smuggled into the government-controlled south of the island under the direction of the Turkish army’s secret services.
Most of the $15 bln drug business involves heroin.
Besiktepeli – who has carried out a study into the casino phenomenon - told the Committee that casinos operating in the north are effectively run by the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot mob and are part of a wider network involving people and drug trafficking.
The academic said 21 casinos in the north generate an annual revenue of US$500m of which $200m ends up in the illegal regime’s coffers in the form of taxes.
He said it’s an “open secret” that 2% of casino-generated revenue ends up in the pocket of an unnamed Turkish Cypriot ‘minister’ to ensure the gambling establishments are allowed to operate trouble-free.
Moreover, other Turkish Cypriot ‘cabinet ministers’ are bribed with mob money.
Saying that he has become a target of the illegal regime’s scorn, Besiktepeli said that 80% of families living in the north are against casinos.
“The casino (business) is a triangle. At one corner are casinos, on the other is the mafia and on the other are drugs,” said Besiktepeli.
Asked if his life is at risk, Besiktepeli said his disclosure to the committee is common knowledge in the north and that there is a common will to shut the casinos down for the sake of protecting young people.
The criminals that run the pseudo state are involved in all kinds of nasty crimes.
