Is Turkey hushing up a drink-spiking epidemic?

Turkish authorities are covering up a spate of thefts from tourists in which their drinks are spiked with drugs, according to a Wiltshire couple whose son was found dead in a forest near Antalya (above) last September. Forensic analysis suggested his drink had been spiked the night before.
 
CCTV footage showed 32-year-old Andrew Smyth looking dazed and unstable as he was forced to withdraw all the cash he could from an ATM to give to a group of men – the last time he was seen alive.
 
Chris Smyth, Andrew's 63-year-old father, told the Sunday Times he believes little has been done to find the people who murdered his son because the Turkish authorities don't want to damage the tourist trade – and the UK government doesn't want to strain relations with Turkey.
 
He told the paper: "We flew to Turkey and met Jane Baz, the British consul in Antalya. We wanted to generate some publicity to try to persuade witnesses to come forward, but Jane Baz told us not to go to the press."
 
Turkey is dependent on tourism and this is not the only incident in which the death of a tourist has threatened that trade.

However, when four Russians died after they were served counterfeit whisky loaded with poisonous methanol earlier this month, the authorities were quick to act: Russia is a major source of tourist revenue for Turkey.
 
Celal Kilic, a Turkish diplomat in Moscow, was quick to condemn the Russians' deaths, saying: "Those who added methanol to the alcohol knew what they were doing - adding a poison that can kill people. This person or persons do not deserve mercy." Turkish police confiscated 7,000 bottles of lethal 'whisky' and arrested 22 people.
 
Perhaps the UK government is indeed wary of upsetting the Turks. Shortly after the general election, in July 2010, David Cameron showed his eagerness to work with the Turks, going far further than any previous PM in calling for Turkish accession to the EU and chiding elements in Europe who oppose it.
 
Turkey is clearly a priority for the coalition; Chris Smyth believes justice is not. ·