Pubdate: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 Source: Reuters Copyright: 1998 Reuters Limited. TURK DRUGS POLICEMAN SAYS SMUGGLERS HAD HIM FIRED ISTANBUL, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The police officer heading Istanbul's drugs squad was transferred to another department on Tuesday and alleged that drug traffickers had bribed senior Turkish officers to remove him. The Interior Ministry said it had appointed financial inspectors to probe the charges brought by Ferruh Tankus, former head of narcotics police in Turkey's biggest city. Tankus said he had been transferred to a less prominent department after drugs smugglers alarmed at his success paid $4 million to unnamed senior officers. "In 1998 alone we hauled in five tonnes of drugs in Istanbul, this is why this happened," he told Reuters. Tankus put forth his allegations in a news conference he held shortly after he was notified of his transfer on Tuesday morning. Anatolian news agency said Tankus had been suspended from duty following his allegations. "Two financial inspectors have been appointed by Interior Minister Kutlu Aktas to investigate the charges put forth by Ferruh Tankus," the ministry said in a statement. Turkey is a key point on the so-called "Balkans route" for drug trafficking from Pakistan and Afghanistan to western Europe. In 1997, Turkish police seized 2.5 tonnes of heroin bound for Europe. - --- Checked-by: Mike Gogulski