Customs and Trade Ministry

Turkey?s foreign trade deficit declined by 39.8 percent in August to $4.89 billion compared to the same month of 2014, according to data produced by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜ?K) in cooperation with the Customs and Trade Ministry on Sept. 30. 

A customs ministry report has showed that several companies of Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-Turkish businessman who was embroiled in Turkey?s huge graft probe that went public in December 2013, made both money and gold transfers to Babek Zencani, another Iranian businessman currently imprisoned in Iran on accusations of corruption. 

Republican People?s Party (CHP) deputy Sezgin Tanr?kulu has asked the government about the whereabouts of some 6,000 Syrian cars which allegedly disappeared in Turkey, citing claims they could be used for bomb attacks. 

Turkey's highest administrative court has approved a local court ruling ordering the state to pay indemnities to a woman whose luxury car was seized after the vehicle was determined to have been imported with forged documents.

Former Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan has paid 250,000 Turkish Liras as a customs fine for a much-debated luxury watch, which became one of the symbols of Turkey’s massive corruption probe last December.

Çağlayan paid the 250,000-lira fine that was given by the Customs and Trade Ministry over actions that were contrary to the customs legislation.

Shares in Turkish Islamic lender Bank Asya will remain suspended until uncertainty regarding its ownership is resolved, the Istanbul stock exchange has said.

Islamic lender Bank Asya, whose founders are known for having close ties with Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, has received another blow, as the Customs and Trade Ministry has joined with two other state institutions in cancelling their contract with the bank.

The Customs and Trade Ministry has rejected claims that Turkey has provided jet fuel to Israel after a media report alleged that a tanker carried oil from Ä°skenderun and Mersin ports.

The report by daily Aydınlık claimed “Mariner A,” a Malta registered ship, has carried oil to Israel’s Haifa port seven times since June 3.

Customs and Trade Ministry officials have denied that the retail draft law that requires all shopping malls to include places of worship will lead to an extension of alcohol restrictions.

The Turkish trade deficit further narrowed in April, helped by falling imports and rising exports, particularly led by a recovery in Turkey’s main trade market, Europe, according to official data.