PKK dominates European drug trafficking, report says

The 2011 Narko-terror Report, recently released by the Anti-smuggling and Organized Crime Bureau, includes significant details and provides an insight into the terrorist organization's heavy dependence on income from drug trafficking to finance its activities, attacks and recruitment of new militants for the organization

According to the report, drug trade around the world generates $350 to $400 billion in revenue each year. The contribution that terrorist organizations make to that total is significant.

The report states that the PKK/KCK is seeking ways to increase its revenue from drug trafficking in Turkey by taking commission from drug dealers, having direct control of production of cannabis in southeastern Turkey and even by directly coordinating the drug trade.

Meanwhile, the report reveals that the police launched 365 operations between 1984 and 2011 against the drug trade conducted by the terrorist organization. Police captured 842 PKK members during the operations. In addition, more than 60 houses belonging to members of the organization were raided.

During the operations police seized 4,253 kilograms of heroin, 22,878 kilograms of marijuana, nearly 25 tons of cannabis, 4,305 kilograms of morphine-based drugs, 710 kilograms of cocaine, 337,412 kilograms of synthetic drugs and 26,190 liters of acetic anhydride and closed down two drug factories.

The report also mentions a protocol between the Turkish police and the office of the US Department of the Treasury and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that proposes freezing assets of members of the terrorist organization in the US

As a result of the protocol, the US assets of five PKK members were frozen by the Treasury in April 2011. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added another nine PKK members to the list towards the end of 2011.

However, Turkey is insisting that the US include leading members of the PKK in Europe on the list in order to freeze their assets. The negotiations are still far from over between Turkish and US officials.