BBC reports Turkey's drug transit problem

An article published on the BBC website addresses Turkey's drug trafficking problems and states that according to the British Foreign Office "as much as 80% of all heroin used in Britain has come through Turkey". While calling Turkey a "drug-smuggling crossroads", the article also commends Turkey for it's increasing ability to seize drugs coming across the borders, stating that "Turkey's record on drug busts is strong and improving". The article states, "In its latest report covering 2004, the Interior Ministry boasts of a 149% increase in seizures of opium and opium derivates. The amount captured is almost equal to the total for the whole of Central and Western Europe. For heroin alone, the increase was 84%." A Turkish writer, Enis Berberogul, is quoted as saying that drug smuggling has financed the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), as a lot of the drugs pass over the Iranian border – where there is not enough outposts to track it, however, he also says that now a lot of drugs are being trafficked via Ukraine – something he says has not been addressed for a while. The article also addresses the EU question and shows that Turkish politicians are well aware of this problem and are also willing to tackle it – a reason the writer says for Turkey's close stance with the UK on drugs in Afghanistan. Â