Expired and low-quality Turkish goods are being smuggled into Syrian markets, intensifying the economic crisis and forcing local businesses to shut down, the Kurdistan Strategic Research Center reported on Sunday. The influx began after Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces took control of Damascus on 8 December, enabling illicit trade to flourish under Turkish oversight.
The Caesar Act, imposed by the United States in June 2020, had already crippled Syria’s economy. Now, Turkish products, often past their expiration dates and not meeting quality standards, are being transported illegally via the Karkamış border crossing into Jarablus (Cerablus), then onto Manbij (Minbîc), Aleppo (Heleb), and Damascus.
According to the research centre, local producers are struggling to compete with the flood of cheap, unregulated goods. Reports indicate that more than five factories have shut down, leaving thousands unemployed. The economic strain is compounded by the lack of regulatory oversight from the newly formed Syrian government, which has yet to introduce effective measures to counteract these developments.
Despite claims of economic reform, including the easing of customs duties and allowing dollar transactions, Syria’s markets are being destabilised. Meanwhile, Turkey, which recently donated carpets to the Umayyad Mosque, is accused of exploiting Syria’s instability for economic gain, turning the war-torn nation into an unregulated trade zone.
