Istanbul Airport foils smuggling attempt involving furs, handbags, electronics Belarusian, Russian nationals detained

Two foreign nationals have been detained at Istanbul Airport for attempting to smuggle a range of luxury items, including mink fur, designer handbags, mobile phones, and e-cigarettes, into Türkiye.

The suspects, a Russian and a Belarusian, were apprehended after a thorough inspection by airport security officials, Caliber.Az reports citing Turkish media.

The operation, led by Istanbul Police Department's Airport Investigation Unit, followed an intelligence-based analysis that led officers to track the two passengers. Upon their arrival from Moscow, the suspects, identified as T.I. from Russia and A.K. from Belarus, were stopped for routine checks, during which their luggage was searched.

The authorities seized a large haul of smuggled goods, including 10 high-end mobile phones, 7 cameras, 12 kilograms of packaged hookah tobacco, 200 cigarette packs, 60 e-cigarette filters, 60 e-cigarettes, and 20 e-cigarette devices.

Additionally, the confiscation included 21 pairs of branded shoes, 16 women's handbags, 12 mink fur coats, and 6 mink shawls.

The suspects were taken into custody, and the illegal items were confiscated as part of the ongoing crackdown on customs violations at Türkiye’s busiest airport.

By Aghakazim Guliyev