At least 35 detained in fictitious export operations

The Financial Crimes Units of the Turkish Police Department carried out operations in 4 provinces on early Tuesday in a crackdown on a major export scam.

Some 35 people were detained, while 58 people including three customs officers, three financial branch officials and three women are being sought in the operation.

Suspects are accused of "fictitious exports" worth about 800 million Turkish lira that caused 120 million lira worth of damage to the state.

Following an investigation by the Bakırköy Public Prosecutor's Office police launched simultaneous operations in İstanbul, İzmir, Antalya and Muğla.

Reports said police raided 10 companies in Istanbul and 2 in İzmir. The names of the companies were not disclosed.

In the fictitious export fraud method, the targeted companies allegedly reduced the number of imported goods in the domestic market in order to escape tax and VAT. In addition, the companies projected they exported manufactured goods using false documents.

A relatively new scheme involves importing goods for export to a third country. Importing companies do not have to pay high import fees as the goods are supposedly not sold in Turkey, but scammers sell the imported goods in Turkey to dealers on the domestic market.

Suspects were taken to Istanbul Police headquarters. The number of detainees is expected to rise as the operation progresses.

Export fraud was common in Turkey in 1980s, but in recent years, the method has made a comeback.

Last year, police detained and arrested dozens of people in nationwide operations against export scams involving famous textile companies.