The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan explained why citizens of the country were often detained at Turkish airports.
The claims of the Turkish side are caused by the fact that Kyrgyzstanis are trying to smuggle tobacco and alcohol products in excess of the established amount and volume.
In accordance with the customs legislation of Turkey, import of cigarettes and alcohol in excess of the amount permitted by law is punishable, a criminal case is opened under the Article «Smuggling» of the Criminal Code of Turkey. Persons involved can be sentenced to either a fine or imprisonment for a term from three months to six years.
«Citizens deported outside Turkey before a final court decision is made and for whom a conviction has been passed are entered into a database of the relevant special services. They are listed as wanted and must be detained in case of crossing the state border,» the ministry said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic to strictly comply with Turkish customs rules and avoid import of cigarettes, vodka and cognac into the country in order to avoid criminal prosecution.
The ministry told about a mobile application Yolcular İçin Gümrük Rehberi (Customs Guide for Passengers), designed to quickly receive, by foreigners arriving or leaving Turkey, up-to-date information on items, goods, cash and jewelry that are allowed to be imported and exported in accordance with Turkish customs law.
The application works offline without the need for an Internet connection and provides information in Russian, Turkish, English, German and Arabic. It is available for free in Google Play and App Store.
Earlier, citizens of Kyrgyzstan faced problems when passing customs control in Dubai (UAE). They were detained, as a rule, with a medicine containing a drug.
