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Turkish police have detained an American diplomat at Istanbul airport for allegedly selling his passport to a Syrian passenger who wanted to fly to Germany, Turkish media reported Wednesday.
According to NTV broadcaster, Syrian national R.S. was also arrested but later released by judicial authorities, while American D.J.K., who worked at his country’s consulate in Beirut and allegedly charged $10,000 for his diplomatic passport, is in custody.
Images from airport security camera footage show the two passengers talking for a while in a waiting room and then entering a nearby restroom where the diplomat allegedly handed over his personal document to the migrant in exchange for money.
During the searches of the two passengers, who also changed their clothes apparently so as not to be recognized, police seized the U.S. diplomat’s passport and $10,000 in an envelope, the Hürriyet Daily News reported.
