by Nomad
The news out of Turkey about the refugees attempting to make the treacherous crossing into Europe just keeps getting worse. We can now add yet another danger: counterfeit lifejackets.
Police in Turkey's third largest city of Izmir raided an underground
workshop this week, seizing large numbers of unsafe lifejackets. The cut-rate jackets to be sold to refugees
crossing the dangerous straits between Turkey and Greece.
According to the local reports (linked below), the more than 1000 life
jackets failed to meet recognized safety standards, and were filled with "packaging"
rather than the proper materials needed to maintain proper bouyancy.
The workshop was found to be operating in the heart of the city. As if that were not bad enough, authorities also found that
the workshop had employed unaged Syrian workers to help in the manufacture.
The news report noted that four people were found working in the workshop, including two young Syrian girls. Refugees are not permitted to work legally in the country where the unemployment rate among Turkish citizens is already high.