Israelis arrested in Turkey
An Israeli couple on their way from Dubai to Israel were recently detained at Turkey’s Istanbul Airport on suspicion of attempting to smuggle 21 gold bars into the country hidden in a baby stroller. The suspects, an Israeli Arab husband and wife, were brought before a local judge. The man's detention was extended, while the woman was released under restrictive conditions.
The arrest was made after the airport customs’ investigation team in Istanbul monitored the couple from the moment they disembarked from their plane from Dubai and left the customs area.
At some point, a customs officer approached them, patted the head of the baby lying in the stroller, and then informed them that they were suspected of smuggling. Police arrived at the scene and opened a bag hidden under the stroller, wherein they found gold bars, each weighing 1 kilogram.
Local authorities suspect the couple planned to smuggle the gold into Turkey. It’s unclear whether the Turkish authorities had prior intelligence about them and therefore followed them, or if the suspicion arose from CCTV surveillance. The gold bars were confiscated.
Banking regulations in Turkey aren’t strict. Opening bank accounts and transferring funds in the country are done with minimal oversight, and funds could potentially be used to finance terrorism. Consequently, Turkey has become a hub for smuggling and wiring funds.