Can Turkish customs keep goods when there is no criminal conviction? Learn how foreign importers can challenge customs seizure, request the return of goods, distinguish seizure from confiscation, protect third-party ownership rights and respond to proceedings under Turkish customs and anti-smuggling law.

A customs seizure in Turkey can create serious consequences for a foreign importer long before any criminal court determines whether an offense actually occurred. Goods may be taken under official control because customs authorities or prosecutors suspect smuggling, false declaration, prohibited importation, incorrect customs treatment or another violation. Yet suspicion, seizure and final confiscation are legally different concepts.

This distinction is critical for foreign companies.

The fact that goods have been seized does not automatically mean that ownership has permanently passed to the state. Seizure is generally a protective measure used while authorities investigate the goods and the alleged offense. Permanent confiscation requires a separate legal basis and, depending on the circumstances, a judicial determination.

Accordingly, an importer may potentially recover seized goods even before or without a criminal conviction. However, recovery is not automatic. The legal strategy depends on why the goods were seized, whether they are legally prohibited, whether they are required as evidence, whether confiscation is legally possible, whether the importer is the suspect or an innocent third-party owner, and whether the goods have already entered the liquidation process.

The Ministry of Trade itself distinguishes seized goods from goods ultimately ordered confiscated and confirms that goods seized under Anti-Smuggling Law No. 5607 may later be returned to their owner by court decision. (Ticaret Bakanlığı)

Seizure Is Not the Same as Confiscation

This is the starting point for every customs seizure case.

A seizure temporarily removes the goods from the owner’s control.

Confiscation is a final measure through which ownership of qualifying property is transferred to the state under the applicable legal rules.

Therefore:

Seized does not necessarily mean confiscated.

Suspected does not necessarily mean guilty.

A criminal investigation does not necessarily mean the goods will ultimately be lost.

This distinction should determine how a foreign importer responds from the beginning.

Why Can Goods Be Seized at Turkish Customs?

Customs seizures can arise from many different allegations. Authorities may suspect that goods were brought into Turkey without completing required customs procedures, that false or misleading declarations were used, that import restrictions were circumvented, that the goods differ materially from those declared or that conduct potentially falls within Anti-Smuggling Law No. 5607.

Other cases may initially appear serious but ultimately concern ordinary customs valuation, classification or documentation disputes.

This distinction matters enormously.

The Ministry of Trade expressly notes, for example, that customs valuation violations may produce additional customs duties and administrative penalties while preserving the possible application of Anti-Smuggling Law No. 5607 where its separate conditions exist. (https://ticaret.gov.tr)

An incorrect customs declaration therefore should not automatically be equated with criminal smuggling.

What Is Anti-Smuggling Law No. 5607?

Anti-Smuggling Law No. 5607 contains the principal criminal and related rules governing various smuggling offenses in Turkey.

The legislation can become relevant to imports and exports involving particular prohibited conduct.

The Ministry of Trade confirms, for example, that export-related smuggling offenses include exporting goods whose export is legally prohibited and obtaining unlawful benefits by falsely representing an export or misrepresenting characteristics such as type, quantity, quality or price for incentive, subsidy or refund purposes. (https://ticaret.gov.tr)

When goods are seized under this framework, both the criminal investigation and the legal status of the goods must be considered.

Can Customs Seize Goods Before Anyone Is Convicted?

Yes.

A final criminal conviction is not necessarily required before goods can initially be seized.

This is because seizure serves a protective function during investigation and prosecution.

Authorities may need to preserve the goods as evidence or prevent them from being transferred, concealed, sold or removed from the country while the legal process continues.

But the absence of a conviction becomes increasingly important when determining whether continued deprivation of the goods remains justified and whether they must ultimately be returned.

Does Seizure Mean the Importer Has Lost Ownership?

Not necessarily.

The owner may temporarily lose possession and control of the goods without permanently losing title.

The legal status of the goods must therefore be identified precisely.

Foreign companies should request the relevant seizure documentation and determine which authority ordered or approved the measure, which investigation it relates to and what statutory provision is alleged.

Without these documents, it can be difficult to distinguish an ordinary customs hold from a criminal seizure.

Who Can Order or Control the Seizure?

Depending on the circumstances, customs enforcement authorities, prosecutors and criminal courts may become involved.

Where a criminal investigation exists, the seizure should be analyzed within the applicable criminal procedure framework as well as the specialized provisions governing customs and anti-smuggling matters.

This means simply submitting a commercial request to the customs office may not be enough.

If the goods are under judicial seizure, the competent prosecutor or court may need to decide whether they can be returned.

Can Seized Goods Be Returned Before the Criminal Case Ends?

Potentially, depending on the circumstances.

The critical questions include whether keeping the physical goods remains necessary, whether they constitute prohibited property, whether confiscation remains legally possible and whether evidentiary needs can be satisfied without continuing physical possession.

In some cases, documentation, expert examination, samples, photographs or other evidentiary methods may reduce the justification for continuing to hold the entire commercial shipment.

The possibility of return should therefore be evaluated rather than assuming the goods must remain seized until the last stage of criminal proceedings.

What If the Goods Are the Main Evidence?

This can make early return more difficult.

Suppose the prosecution alleges that the imported goods themselves are materially different from the goods declared.

Physical examination may be central to the investigation.

The authorities may therefore argue that preserving the goods is necessary.

The importer can nevertheless investigate whether technical examination has already been completed and whether continuing to hold the entire shipment remains necessary after samples, photographs and expert reports have been obtained.

What If the Goods Are Legal Products?

The fact that goods are ordinarily legal to possess can significantly affect the analysis.

Consider machinery, electronics, industrial components or ordinary consumer goods allegedly imported using an incorrect declaration.

The products themselves may not be illegal.

The dispute may concern how they entered the country.

This is different from goods whose possession, importation or commercial circulation is itself prohibited.

The distinction can become important when seeking return.

What If the Goods Cannot Legally Enter Turkey?

The legal position becomes more difficult where the goods are prohibited or cannot lawfully be placed into free circulation.

Even if criminal responsibility is not ultimately established, that does not necessarily mean customs must allow the goods to enter the Turkish market.

The criminal-law question and customs-status question are separate.

Possible outcomes may therefore include return to the owner subject to re-export, return to origin or another lawful customs treatment rather than release into free circulation.

Acquittal Does Not Always Equal Immediate Customs Release

Foreign importers should understand this distinction.

Suppose the importer is acquitted of the criminal charge.

That may fundamentally undermine the justification for criminal confiscation.

But the goods may still require completion of customs formalities before entering free circulation.

For example, customs duties, permits, product conformity requirements or other regulatory obligations may remain unresolved.

The company should therefore pursue both tracks:

criminal recovery of possession and customs clearance of the goods.

What Happens If the Court Orders the Goods Returned?

A return order can create an important opportunity, but the owner must act quickly.

The Ministry of Trade explains that goods seized under Anti-Smuggling Law No. 5607 may become subject to liquidation if the court orders their return but the owner does not collect them within 30 days following notification. (Ticaret Bakanlığı)

This deadline should not be ignored.

A foreign company should arrange customs, logistics and legal coordination immediately after receiving a favorable return decision.

Do Not Assume the Goods Will Wait Indefinitely

This is a particularly important practical issue.

A company may win the legal battle but still lose the goods commercially by failing to act after the return decision.

The Ministry of Trade specifically identifies seized goods that are ordered returned but not collected within the applicable 30-day period after notification among goods that may become subject to liquidation. (Ticaret Bakanlığı)

Foreign headquarters should therefore have someone in Turkey monitoring service of decisions and release procedures.

What If the Goods Have Already Entered Liquidation?

The situation becomes more complicated.

Turkish customs legislation contains liquidation mechanisms for goods that reach the applicable statutory status.

The Ministry of Trade explains that liquidation can occur through methods including sale by auction and sale for re-export, depending on the category and condition of the goods. (Ticaret Bakanlığı)

The importer should immediately determine whether the goods still physically exist, whether they have been allocated for liquidation and whether they have already been sold or otherwise disposed of.

Timing becomes critical.

Can Seized Goods Be Sold Before the Criminal Case Ends?

This possibility should not be ignored.

The Ministry of Trade’s published liquidation guidance states that goods seized under Anti-Smuggling Law No. 5607 may, in qualifying circumstances, become subject to liquidation even before the criminal proceedings reach their final conclusion. Its guidance refers to seized goods becoming subject to liquidation where proceedings have not concluded within six months from seizure, in addition to cases involving confiscation orders. (Ticaret Bakanlığı)

This makes early legal action particularly important.

A company should never assume that a seized commercial shipment will simply remain untouched in a warehouse until a criminal case lasting several years ends.

What If the Goods Have Already Been Sold?

The analysis changes substantially once physical restitution is no longer possible.

The owner should determine how the goods were liquidated, what proceeds were generated, what decision authorized the process and what rights exist concerning the resulting amount.

The Ministry of Trade has explained that amendments to the Customs Law addressed situations involving goods liquidated by sale and provided mechanisms concerning amounts held on behalf of interested persons, including an application period for recovery in qualifying circumstances. (Orta Anadolu Ticaret Müdürlüğü)

The precise statutory framework applicable at the time of the case should be checked carefully.

Why Foreign Companies Need to Act Early

A Turkish criminal investigation can last significantly longer than the commercial life of imported goods.

Electronics may become obsolete.

Seasonal products may lose their entire market.

Food can expire.

Machinery may be urgently needed for a project.

Replacement components may be required to keep a production facility operating.

Therefore, the legal strategy should not focus only on eventual acquittal.

It should also focus on protecting the economic value of the property during the investigation.

Innocent Third-Party Owners

One of the strongest factual situations can arise where the seized goods belong to someone other than the alleged offender.

For example, a foreign leasing company may own machinery imported by another company.

A financing company may retain ownership.

A foreign supplier may remain owner under the contractual structure.

Or a buyer may have acquired goods without knowing about an alleged customs violation.

Third-party ownership should be raised immediately and supported by evidence.

How Do You Prove Third-Party Ownership?

The claimant should collect the purchase agreement, commercial invoices, payment records, transport documents, financing agreements, leasing documents, title-retention clauses and relevant correspondence.

Corporate relationships should also be explained.

Merely asserting “these goods belong to our foreign company” is unlikely to be sufficient in a substantial customs investigation.

The ownership chain should be documented clearly.

Good-Faith Purchasers

Good-faith acquisition issues can become particularly significant where a third party purchased goods after the alleged customs violation without knowing about the underlying problem.

Turkey has previously adopted specific mechanisms designed to address hardships suffered by good-faith third parties in certain seized-vehicle cases. For example, Ministry of Trade guidance concerning a special regulation explained procedures under which qualifying vehicles seized in proceedings under Law No. 5607 could be returned to their owners after satisfaction of specified conditions. (https://ticaret.gov.tr)

That particular regulation concerned a specific category and historical procedure, so it should not be generalized to every customs seizure.

However, it demonstrates why third-party ownership and good faith can be legally significant.

Customs Seizure of Company Vehicles

Vehicles can present special problems because they may simultaneously serve as evidence, have substantial market value and be essential to business operations.

The exact reason for seizure should be identified.

Is the vehicle itself allegedly smuggled?

Was it allegedly used to transport smuggled goods?

Does it belong to the suspect or a separate company?

Was it leased?

Was it purchased later by a third party?

These facts can materially change the recovery analysis.

Seized Machinery and Industrial Equipment

For foreign companies, industrial machinery can create particularly high commercial losses.

A machine worth several million euros may be seized because authorities dispute its customs declaration.

Meanwhile, the purchaser cannot complete a factory project.

The legal team should document not only ownership but also technical specifications, import history, customs classification and the commercial impact of continued seizure.

Where the machinery itself is lawful, the proportionality of prolonged retention may become especially important.

Perishable Goods

Perishable goods require immediate action.

Physical return months later may have no economic value.

The company should document shelf life, storage conditions, expiry dates and deterioration risk as soon as seizure occurs.

This evidence can become important in applications concerning the handling of the goods and potentially in later compensation disputes.

Waiting passively for the criminal investigation to finish can destroy the commercial value of the claim.

Seizure of Branded Goods

Not every customs seizure involves smuggling allegations.

Goods can also be detained because of suspected intellectual property infringement.

Under the Customs Law and Customs Regulation, customs authorities may suspend customs procedures or detain goods suspected of infringing protected intellectual property rights. (https://ticaret.gov.tr)

The procedure is different from a criminal smuggling seizure and must be identified correctly.

Intellectual Property Detention Has Its Own Deadlines

Where goods are detained because of an intellectual property complaint, the rights holder generally must take the required judicial action within the applicable period.

The Ministry states that the rights holder generally has ten working days to initiate the relevant proceedings and provide evidence to customs, with a possible extension of up to ten additional working days where justified. For perishable goods, the period is three working days and cannot be extended. (https://ticaret.gov.tr)

If the required steps are not taken and the alternative settlement procedure does not apply, the goods may proceed according to the customs regime requested by the declarant. (https://ticaret.gov.tr)

This is why the legal basis of the detention must be identified immediately.

Customs Hold, Detention and Criminal Seizure Are Different

Foreign companies frequently use these terms interchangeably.

That can lead to the wrong legal strategy.

A shipment can be held because documentation is incomplete.

Goods can be detained under intellectual property border measures.

Goods can be placed under criminal seizure because of suspected smuggling.

Each situation involves different authorities, deadlines and remedies.

The first question to the customs broker should therefore be:

“What is the formal legal basis of the measure?”

Can the Seizure Be Challenged During the Investigation?

Potentially, yes.

Where goods are seized within criminal proceedings, available procedural remedies should be examined rather than waiting automatically for the final criminal judgment.

The request can focus on issues such as lack of statutory grounds, lack of connection between the goods and alleged offense, third-party ownership, completion of evidentiary examination or disproportionality of continued seizure.

The appropriate application depends on who issued or approved the measure and the procedural stage of the investigation.

What Evidence Should Support a Return Request?

The application should ideally demonstrate ownership, lawful commercial origin, the nature of the goods and why continued physical seizure is unnecessary.

Useful evidence may include invoices, payment records, purchase contracts, customs declarations, transport documents, technical specifications, origin documents and permits.

Where a third-party owner is involved, evidence showing separation from the alleged offender can be particularly important.

For high-value commercial goods, evidence of depreciation and operational loss may also support urgency.

What If the Criminal Case Ends in Acquittal?

An acquittal can significantly strengthen the argument for return where there is no independent legal basis for retaining or confiscating the goods.

However, the company should read the operative part of the judgment carefully.

The court’s ruling concerning the defendant and its ruling concerning the seized property are separate matters.

The judgment should therefore be checked specifically for:

return of the goods, confiscation, continuation of seizure or another disposition.

Never assume that an acquittal automatically contains the correct property order.

What If the Prosecutor Decides Not to Prosecute?

A decision not to prosecute can similarly change the justification for continuing the seizure.

The company should immediately examine whether a separate order concerning the seized goods has been issued.

If not, an application for return may be necessary.

Again, the closure of the criminal investigation and physical recovery of the property should not be treated as the same administrative event.

What If Some Defendants Are Acquitted and Others Convicted?

This can create complex ownership questions.

Suppose a logistics provider is convicted but the foreign owner of the goods is not involved in the offense.

The legal status of the goods should be analyzed separately from the personal criminal responsibility of each defendant.

The key issues may include ownership, knowledge, good faith and whether the property itself satisfies the legal requirements for confiscation.

Can Customs Keep Goods Because Duties Were Underpaid?

A duty dispute and criminal seizure should be distinguished.

Customs valuation errors can result in additional duties and administrative penalties. The Ministry explains, for example, that qualifying undervaluation under Article 234(1)(b) can result in collection of the duty difference plus a penalty equal to three times that difference, while preserving the application of Law No. 5607 where its separate requirements exist. (https://ticaret.gov.tr)

Therefore, underpayment does not by itself answer whether criminal seizure or confiscation is justified.

The statutory basis for each measure must be identified independently.

Can You Pay the Customs Debt and Get the Goods Back?

Sometimes resolving customs liabilities may be relevant to release, but payment should never be assumed to cancel a criminal seizure automatically.

If a prosecutor or court has ordered seizure, customs officials may not have authority simply to release the goods because duties have been paid.

The company should determine whether the obstacle is:

a customs debt,

an administrative penalty,

a criminal seizure,

or several of these simultaneously.

Each may require a separate procedural step.

Can Goods Be Returned to the Country of Origin?

Where release into Turkish free circulation is impossible or commercially unattractive, return to origin may potentially be considered depending on the legal status of the goods.

Current Ministry guidance explains that return to origin may be available in several customs situations, including goods presented to customs before a customs regime declaration and certain goods not yet released into free circulation. (https://ticaret.gov.tr)

However, goods subject to criminal seizure cannot simply be exported without addressing the seizure order.

Judicial or prosecutorial authorization may first be necessary.

Do Not Attempt to Re-Export Seized Goods Without Authorization

Once goods are under a formal seizure measure, attempting to move them outside the authorized procedure can make the situation significantly worse.

The company should first determine which authority controls the goods.

Only after the relevant restriction is lifted should customs alternatives such as return to origin or re-export be evaluated.

This is particularly important where the company believes the criminal allegation is obviously incorrect.

Commercial urgency does not authorize unilateral removal.

Can a Foreign Company Recover Goods?

Potentially, yes.

Foreign ownership does not by itself prevent an application for return.

However, the foreign company must establish its legal relationship to the goods and may need appropriate representation in Turkey.

Corporate documents, authority documents, purchase agreements and evidence of ownership should be organized early.

Where several affiliated companies are involved, the exact entity claiming ownership must be identified correctly.

Foreign Supplier Versus Turkish Importer

The foreign supplier and Turkish importer may have different interests.

The importer may want the goods released into Turkish free circulation.

The foreign supplier may instead want the goods returned abroad.

Ownership may depend on the sales agreement, delivery terms and payment structure.

Therefore, the parties should establish who actually owns the seized goods before submitting competing applications.

Incoterms Are Not Enough to Prove Everything

Incoterms can be relevant to delivery obligations, costs and transfer of risk.

But they do not necessarily resolve every question concerning legal ownership or customs liability.

The underlying sales contract, governing law, payment terms and title-transfer provisions should also be reviewed.

A DDP shipment, for example, does not automatically answer every property question arising from a Turkish criminal seizure.

Can the Importer Claim Compensation for Wrongful Seizure?

Potentially, but compensation is a separate question from return of the goods.

A company may suffer storage expenses, deterioration, loss of market value, lost production or other economic harm while property is held.

Whether those losses can ultimately be recovered depends on the legal basis of the seizure, the outcome of proceedings, causation and the applicable compensation mechanism.

The company should preserve evidence of losses from the first day.

Do not wait until the case ends to reconstruct years of commercial damage.

Evidence of Commercial Loss

Foreign companies should maintain records showing the value of the seized goods, storage charges, replacement purchases, customer penalties, production interruptions and depreciation.

For machinery, document the project or production line for which it was intended.

For seasonal products, preserve market-price information.

For perishable products, document expiry and destruction.

For electronics, preserve evidence of rapid technological depreciation.

These records can become important later even if the immediate legal objective is simply recovering the goods.

What If Customs Sold the Goods Despite a Later Favorable Decision?

This requires immediate legal analysis.

Physical restitution may no longer be possible, so the focus may shift toward sale proceeds and other available monetary remedies.

The Ministry of Trade has specifically recognized situations in which goods subject to favorable court outcomes entered liquidation and has explained that legislative amendments created mechanisms relating to continuation of customs procedures and recovery of amounts held following liquidation. (Orta Anadolu Ticaret Müdürlüğü)

The exact remedy depends heavily on when and how the goods were liquidated.

Constitutional Property Protection

Long-term seizure of valuable commercial property can also raise broader property-right concerns.

A seizure that is lawful at the beginning does not necessarily remain proportionate forever merely because an investigation continues.

The duration, justification, economic consequences and availability of safeguards can become relevant to property-right analysis.

Turkey’s Constitutional Court continues to examine proportionality questions concerning state interference with property in customs and cross-border regulatory contexts. For example, in 2025 it annulled a statutory rule imposing market-value-based sanctions for certain unauthorized cross-border transfers after examining constitutional principles governing property-related sanctions. (Anayasa Mahkemesi)

This does not mean every customs seizure is unconstitutional, but proportionality should not be ignored.

20 Steps to Take After Customs Seizes Goods in Turkey

1. Obtain the formal seizure record immediately.
2. Identify the legal basis of the seizure.
3. Determine whether the case is administrative or criminal.
4. Obtain the investigation or case number.
5. Identify the prosecutor or court controlling the measure.
6. Confirm the physical location of the goods.
7. Document the condition and quantity of the goods.
8. Establish who legally owns them.
9. Collect purchase contracts and invoices.
10. Collect payment and transport records.
11. Obtain the customs declaration.
12. Identify the alleged customs violation.
13. Determine whether the goods themselves are prohibited.
14. Determine whether physical retention remains necessary as evidence.
15. Investigate whether an early return application is available.
16. Raise innocent third-party ownership where applicable.
17. Monitor any liquidation risk.
18. Act immediately if a return decision is issued.
19. Preserve evidence of commercial losses.
20. Review customs clearance or re-export requirements separately from the criminal case.

The key principle is straightforward: a customs seizure is not automatically a final confiscation. Foreign importers should therefore investigate the possibility of recovery immediately instead of assuming they must wait for a conviction or acquittal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Turkish customs seize goods before a criminal conviction?

Yes. Goods may be seized during an investigation or prosecution before a final judgment. Seizure and final confiscation are legally distinct measures.

Does seizure mean the government permanently owns my goods?

Not necessarily. A seizure generally restricts possession while proceedings continue. Permanent confiscation requires its own legal basis.

Can seized goods be returned before the criminal trial ends?

Potentially. This depends on the reason for seizure, evidentiary requirements, nature of the goods, ownership and procedural stage. An application for return should be evaluated rather than automatically waiting for final judgment.

What happens if I am acquitted?

An acquittal can substantially strengthen the case for return where no independent basis exists for confiscation or continued retention. However, the judgment should be checked specifically for the court’s decision concerning the seized goods.

What happens if the prosecutor decides not to prosecute?

The status of the seized property should be reviewed immediately. Closure of the criminal investigation does not necessarily mean the physical goods will automatically be delivered without further procedural action.

How quickly must goods be collected after a return order?

The Ministry of Trade states that goods seized under Law No. 5607 and ordered returned by the court can become subject to liquidation if they are not collected within 30 days after notification to the interested party. (Ticaret Bakanlığı)

Can seized goods be liquidated while proceedings are still continuing?

Turkish customs liquidation rules can permit qualifying seized goods to enter liquidation procedures in certain circumstances even before the criminal proceedings have reached their ultimate conclusion. (Ticaret Bakanlığı)

What if my company is an innocent third-party owner?

Third-party ownership should be raised immediately. Contracts, invoices, payment records and other evidence establishing ownership and good faith can become critical.

Can goods be returned abroad instead of released in Turkey?

Potentially, depending on their customs and judicial status. Ministry guidance recognizes return-to-origin procedures in qualifying customs situations, but a criminal seizure must first be addressed before seized goods can simply leave the country. (https://ticaret.gov.tr)

Can a foreign company recover seized goods in Turkey?

Potentially, yes. Foreign ownership does not automatically prevent recovery, but the company must establish ownership and comply with the applicable customs and judicial procedures.

Client-Focused Legal Support for Customs Seizure Cases in Turkey

Foreign companies facing customs seizure should avoid focusing exclusively on whether someone will eventually be convicted. The more immediate question is whether the goods must remain physically seized throughout the entire proceedings.

The distinction between seizure, confiscation and customs detention can completely change the available legal strategy. Ordinary goods suspected of being connected to an offense present a different problem from prohibited goods. An innocent foreign owner presents a different case from an importer accused of deliberate smuggling. Goods that have already been technically examined present different evidentiary considerations from goods whose physical characteristics remain central to the investigation.

Timing is equally important. Ministry of Trade guidance confirms that seized goods ordered returned by a court can become subject to liquidation when they are not collected within the applicable 30-day period following notification. (Ticaret Bakanlığı) Foreign companies should therefore monitor both the criminal proceedings and the customs status of the goods continuously.

The company should also preserve evidence of commercial damage from the beginning. Even where the goods are eventually returned, prolonged seizure can cause depreciation, storage costs, production interruptions and lost commercial opportunities.

Fırat Fesih Kaya Law Office assists foreign companies and international importers with customs seizures, recovery of seized goods, Anti-Smuggling Law investigations, third-party ownership claims, customs confiscation disputes, customs penalties, detained commercial cargo, return-to-origin procedures, customs litigation and related criminal proceedings in Turkey.

Phone: +90 312 434 22 22
Mobile: +90 532 769 22 22
Email: info@firatfesihkaya.av.tr
Address: Mevlana Boulevard No: 221, Yıldırım Tower, Balgat, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey