Turkish security forces seize 2.5 tons of meat ‘smuggled from Greece’

EDİRNE – Doğan News Agency

DHA photo

Turkish police and Coast Guard teams seized over 2.5 tons of smuggled meat, probably from Greece, in two separate operations in the Enez district of the northwestern province of Edirne on March 15, officials have said.

During routine checks, Enez Coast Guard teams noticed bags that were being transferred from a vessel to a vehicle parked in the Enez port.

In a search on the vehicle, teams seized 1.5 tons of meat separated into 66 bags that had reportedly been smuggled from Greece. The suspects involved in the transfer reportedly fled the scene of the incident.

The discovery comes amid a large rise in meat prices that has prompted discussion by government and sector representatives about how to best combat the high costs.

In a follow-up operation, police seized 1 ton of smuggled meat in 42 bags by the coast of Üzmene Lake, which is close to Enez Port. The meat was also allegedly smuggled from Greece. 

Meat smuggling has largely been attributed to high prices in Turkey’s food sector. 

The Food and Agriculture Ministry decided in February to impose a price ceiling for red meat in a bid to control recent price hikes, which have also pushed up the inflation rate. 

According to data from the Central Bank, meat prices rose by 21 percent in 2015 compared to the previous year, making meat one of the most prominent items pushing up the annual inflation rate.