Crime of manufacturing, importing and trading drugs within the scope of container transportation

In recent years, significant amounts of cocaine have been seized in the ports of the Republic of Türkiye. The majority of these seizures occur in refrigerated containers transporting bananas and tropical fruits imported from South American countries. Sometimes the cocaine is found within the legal cargo, while at other times, it is discovered in the container's cooling motor or specially designed hidden compartments. Due to the discovery of cocaine, businesspeople trading in the legal cargo within the containers are subjected to investigations and prosecutions, often being arrested and sentenced to severe punishments. However, the true perpetrators of the crime are drug cartels based in South American countries, who use ever-evolving techniques to avoid detection and prevent the identification of accomplices in other countries. As a result, these drug cartels, involved in complex international drug trafficking operations, can mislead judicial authorities. The legal principle of "in dubio pro reo" which prevails in our legal system, is sometimes overlooked, leading to traders in legitimate goods being prosecuted and suffering various losses due to these complex drug trafficking schemes. This study will examine the legal aspects of container shipping and drug-related offenses, the evolving techniques used by drug cartels, the current reward/bonus system in our country, and the existing legal violations, addressing the problems and offering potential solutions.