Animal smuggling in Turkey in the contex of veterinary forensic science

In this study, animal smuggling in Turkey is analysed with the data obtained in the context of veterinary forensic science. The data of the study were generated by scanning news sources related to animal smuggling between 2012-2023; file-archive scanning in the criminal courts of first instance in the pilot selected provinces (Edirne, İzmir, Gaziantep, Ankara and İstanbul) and structured interviews with judges and public prosecutors who took part in cases related to smuggling in these courts. The collected data were evaluated using descriptive statistics and analyses. Consequently, the animal species that were subject to smuggling were classified into 16 categories. The study identified a total of 2346 incidents of animal trafficking through analysis of various animal species. Of these, 585 were obtained from open-access news sources on the internet; 835 from information and documents requested from official Turkish institutions; 552 from data presented to the public by international institutions and organisations with which Turkey cooperates; and 374 from documents obtained by scanning files in courthouses. In the context of veterinary forensic medicine, the establishment of judicial and administrative regulations pertaining to animal smuggling in Turkey is imperative. It is submitted that the removal of animal smuggling from the category of goods in the Smuggling Law numbered 5607 may have multifaceted effects in areas such as animal welfare, the identification of animal species, public health, the prevention of smuggling and national security. For instance, in the case files of animal smuggling, it has been observed that the imposition of deterrent penalties on the convicted parties is not a possibility. Furthermore, it has been determined that 65% of the cases necessitate the presence of expert witnesses, thus underscoring the necessity for the involvement of veterinary forensic medicine specialists. The study will contribute to the preparation of Turkey's action plan to combat the trafficking of animals and the development of necessary legal, institutional, educational and social policies.