Turkish court orders release of Czechs held for smuggling heroin

A Turkish court has ordered the release of two Czechs in their thirties accused of smuggling heroin in Turkey. They will be allowed to return home this week. The two men - held for almost two years - were found guilty on Wednesday by the court and sentenced to more than six years in prison. But, the court took into account their time spent in custody and good behaviour and waived the remainder of their sentences. The two men were originally caught on the Greek-Turkish border with some 26 kilograms of heroin hidden in their vehicle. Both maintained their innocence, saying that they had been hired to transport textiles and were unaware of the hidden drugs. Czech authorities have backed the mens' innocence, and the case also caught the attention of Czech President Vaclav Klaus.

Author: Jan Velinger