Turkey Connections Revealed for Tons of Cocaine Seized at Colombian Port
It has been determined that over 4 tons of cocaine, seized in Colombia impregnated into rubber, was intended to be shipped to Istanbul's Ambarli Port, and its international connections have been uncovered.
In an operation conducted by the Colombian police at the Port of Buenaventura, 4 tons and 928 kilograms of cocaine impregnated into granular rubber material were seized. While it was determined that the shipment was headed to Istanbul's Ambarli Port, the details of the financing and organizational network in Turkey came to light during the ongoing investigation.
Search at the Port and the Seized Substance
During searches conducted by the Colombian police on a ship docked at the Port of Buenaventura, samples were sent to the laboratory after a narcotics dog reacted. As a result of the analyses, a total of 4 tons and 928 kilograms of cocaine impregnated into granular rubber material were seized.
Market Value and Shipment Route
The Minister of Defense of Colombia at the time, Carlos Holmes Trujillo, announced that the market value of the seized drugs was 265 million dollars. As a result of the investigations, it was determined that the final destination of the ship was Istanbul's Ambarli Port.
Turkey Connection and Murat Karabaş
Following information received from Colombia, a special team was established in Turkey to examine the records and customs procedures at Ambarli Port. Within the scope of the investigation, Murat Karabaş, the owner of the company that imported granular rubber from Colombia, was placed under technical and physical surveillance.
Entry of Chemists into Turkey
It was determined that Murat Karabaş, a former customs consultant, brought the drugs in the guise of legal cargo. It was ascertained that chief chemist Jose Rodrigo B.L. and three of his colleagues entered Istanbul on February 1, 2020, to separate the drugs in special laboratories.
The Role of Financier Nihat Dindar
Teams deepening the investigation revealed that the person providing the financing for the shipments was Nihat Dindar, nicknamed Pitbull. It was determined that Dindar was one of the key figures providing financing for shipments between Colombia and Turkey.
New Operation and Murder in Bolivia
In an operation organized upon determining that Murat Karabaş would organize a new shipment on January 11, 2022, 15 people were detained. Nihat Dindar, who was caught with 300 kilograms of cocaine in Bolivia, lost his life in an armed attack minutes before the hearing of the trial in which he was being tried.