'What's your Jihad?' - Cash entering 'Islamist' Turkey no longer subject to laundering checks.

'What's your Jihad?' - Cash entering 'Islamist' Turkey no longer subject to laundering checks. (TZ).

A recent circular issued by the Ministry of Customs and Trade has relaxed customs checks on those entering Turkey so that passengers will no longer be subject to prosecution over suspected money laundering and terrorism financing, a daily claimed on Friday.

According to a report published in the Hürriyet daily, if passengers are found to have made false declarations regarding the amount of cash they have with them when entering the country, they will no longer be referred to public prosecutors on suspicion of money laundering, terrorism financing and violation of the law protecting the value of the Turkish lira.

“Revenues from the export of goods and services, revenues with regard to transit trade, cash from foreign capital and other resources are free to enter the country through custom gates. [The value of] the items is not required to be declared and passengers cannot be forced to make declarations,” the circular said, while adding that people are free to declare the amount of money to customs officials.


In addition to the circular contradicting another issued in 2008 by the same ministry, which obliged travelers entering Turkey to declare the sum of money he or she is carrying if it is more than 10,000 euros, it also fuels worries that it is creating a loophole in the law that may pave the way for money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities. 2008's circular had also said that the arrangement was in line with the EU's efforts to fight against money laundering and terrorism.

Hürriyet also quoted a customs examiner in its report, saying: “It was a must to declare [the amount of] all kinds of money entering the country before 2004. In the ensuing years, this rule has been eased via circulars. It seems that scrutiny over the amount and source of cash has been abolished with the recent note. This circular may also lead to the repayment of money that was seized in [smuggling or laundering] prosecutions in past years. Legislation preventing money laundering would also be broken with this circular. The same circular may even apply to gold inflow as well as cash." Hmmmm.....'Islamist' Turkey Iran's 'officially' Obama 'admin' approved 'lifeline' of terrorists.