ISTANBUL — A significant number of Turkish customs officials have been taken into custody as part of a large-scale investigation into bribery at Europe’s most trafficked border crossing, as reported by state media on Tuesday.
The investigation, led by the Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, resulted in the arrest of 38 officers at the Kapikule border gate between Turkey and Bulgaria. This thorough probe has revealed instances of corruption at this critical transit point.
Surveillance by the police, which began in January, uncovered customs staff accepting illicit payments from individuals crossing the border at this strategic link on the E80 highway. The investigation uncovered various currencies, including European, U.S., and Turkish money, totaling over $40,000, during a series of raids on the addresses linked to the 38 detained individuals.
In addition, arrest warrants have been issued for 350 other individuals suspected of bribing customs officials. The Kapikule crossing, positioned opposite Bulgaria’s Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint, stands as the busiest in Europe, a title affirmed by Frontex, the European Union’s border agency. This crossing serves as the primary land entry point into Turkey for the continent’s substantial Turkish community.
This border area is central to various smuggling activities, with Turkey acting as a known conduit for traffickers moving people, firearms, and narcotics, as noted by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.