04.11.2026 20:31
The Ministry of Trade made a statement regarding the breaking at customs of the works sent by artist Canan Tolon to her exhibition in London. Ministry Counsellor Bekir Kaplan reported that on November 1, at the Dereköy Customs Gate, 3 concrete blocks that gave a suspicious density in X-Ray scanning and were not declared in the transport documents were inspected by breaking them with the driver's consent, and that the procedure was directed not at the artwork but at undeclared goods.
Bekir Kaplan, Press and Public Relations Advisor at the Ministry of Trade, made a statement about the breaking at customs of the works that artist Canan Tolon had prepared to take to an exhibition in the UK. Kaplan stated that the transaction in question was aimed not at declared artworks but at the control of undeclared items for security purposes.
HE PERSONALLY SPOKE WITH THE ARTIST
In a post on his social media account, Kaplan said, "First of all, I would like to state that I personally spoke with our artist Canan Tolon and conveyed to her the sorrow I feel over this unfortunate situation she has experienced. As an art lover, I am truly saddened that her works were damaged and that our artist has suffered this grievance."
SHOWED SUSPICIOUS DENSITY IN X-RAY SCAN
Recounting the details of the incident, Kaplan said, "To summarize briefly, during the checks carried out at the Dereköy Customs Gate on 1 November, 3 concrete blocks that were not declared in the transport documents and gave a suspicious density in the X-ray scan were broken open with the driver's consent and subjected to inspection; since they were not declared in the transport documents, the necessary descriptions and documentation showing that they were artworks or sculptures are also not included in the paperwork. Therefore, the procedure carried out was aimed not at declared artworks but at the control of undeclared goods for security purposes."
The Ministry's written statement also noted that in the Transit Accompanying Document issued for the vehicle, the goods being transported were declared with general descriptions such as handmade oil paintings, charcoal and pastel pictures, collages, and decorative plaques.
Kaplan said, "In our past operations, we have encountered numerous incidents in which items appearing to be sculptures, paintings, marble blocks, and construction materials were used in drug trafficking. For this reason, risk analyses and physical checks at customs are of great importance for public security. During our conversation, our artist also stated that she was not familiar with the details of customs processes and international transport legislation."
WARNING TO GALLERIES AND TRANSPORT COMPANIES
Kaplan said, "On this occasion, we would like to make an important reminder to our art galleries, customs consultancy firms, and transport companies. The nature, transport information, and required permits and documents of works sent to international exhibitions must be fully declared in customs procedures. We hope that this incident will serve as an important lesson for all of us and help prevent similar grievances. While we want our art to meet the world, we also want our artists and their works to be protected at every stage. We once again convey our wishes for a speedy recovery to our artist Canan Tolon."