Special Report - Golden Loophole: How an alleged Turkish crime ring helped Iran

Turkey's European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis (L), Interior Minister Muammer Guler and Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan (R) chat as they wait for the arrival of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan at Esenboga Airport in Ankara in this December 24, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/Files

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - In this city’s Grand Bazaar, sellers along labyrinthine passageways hawk carpets, jewellery and souvenir knick-knacks to tourists.

Turkish police believe that until recently, the area around the market also sat at the centre of an audacious, multi-billion-dollar scheme involving bribery and suspect food shipments to Iran.