The cocaine network stretching from Turkey to France had been widely discussed: It has been revealed who owns the ship where 9 tons of cocaine were found!
The owner of the more than 9 tons of cocaine seized in an operation by the French Navy off the coast of Martinique on a Turkish ship that departed from Istanbul has been identified. It was stated that the market value of the drugs exceeds 3 billion dollars.
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The French Navy seized more than 9 tons of cocaine in an operation conducted near the island of Martinique, located off the coast of South America, on a ship belonging to a Turkish shipowner.
It was reported that the ship, which was stopped in an operation carried out by the French Navy on January 10, 2025, belongs to an Istanbul-based shipowner, H.B.T.
FROM ISTANBUL TO SOUTH AMERICA
According to information obtained regarding the operation, the cocaine-laden ship departed from Istanbul on November 12, 2024. The ship, whose first stop was the West African country of Guinea-Bissau on December 10, set sail again on December 13 and began heading toward the island of Martinique in the Caribbean. The ship drew suspicion by turning off its radar signal on December 28 and was stopped by the French military on January 10.
RADAR SIGNAL TURNED OFF, PLACED UNDER SURVEILLANCE
The Turkish-flagged ship, which became a "ghost ship" by turning off its radar system on December 28, was placed under surveillance by the French Navy. In the operation carried out off the coast of Martinique on January 10, 250 packages of drugs were seized on the ship.
Tests conducted determined that all of the packages were cocaine.
MARKET VALUE OF THE COCAINE IS 3 BILLION DOLLARS
French authorities announced the amount of the seized cocaine as over 9 tons. The seizure of this amount of cocaine, which is stated to have a street value reaching 3 billion dollars, has been recorded as one of the largest drug operations conducted off the coast of France in recent years.
THE NAMES OF ZINDAŞTİ AND HIS TURKISH PARTNERS STAND OUT
According to information obtained by Can Bursalı from Halk TV from security sources, the owners of this massive quantity of drugs are the Iranian baron Naci Zindaşti, who is alleged to have many political connections in Turkey, and two Turkish citizens named A.Ö. and I.Y.
It is known that Zindaşti was previously arrested in Turkey but was released following a pressure process involving the name of former Chief Presidential Advisor Burhan Kuzu, and subsequently fled to the United Arab Emirates.
A.Ö. AND I.Y. ARE ALSO IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
It has been determined that A.Ö. and I.Y., who are mentioned as Zindaşti's partners, are also currently in the United Arab Emirates. Security units are focusing on the suspicion that these individuals managed the financial and logistical operations of the drug shipment.
The island of Martinique, where the operation took place, draws attention with its proximity to the world's largest cocaine-producing countries such as Venezuela and Colombia. The island, which is a territory of France, is not officially an independent state but is under the direct control of the French military. This situation provides a strategic advantage in controlling the drug traffic heading toward Europe.
While the incident received wide coverage in the international press, it was learned that Turkish security units are also in contact with France regarding the matter.