A Turkish riot policeman uses tear gas against a woman as people protest against the destruction of trees in a park brought about by a pedestrian project, in Taksim Square in central Istanbul (Photo: Reuters)
Turkey imported $21 million worth of teargas and pepper spray between 2000 and 2012, Turkish daily Sözcü reported on Monday.
In total, Turkey imported 62 tonnes of teargas and pepper spray over the past 12 years, the paper alleged.
The main exporters to Turkey, according to the newspaper, are the US and Brazil.
State expenditures amounted to roughly $16 billion in April 2013, according to the latest data from the Turkish finance ministry, representing a 7.8 percent increase on the same period the previous year.
Total state expenditures for 2013 are expected to reach roughly $214 billion.
Turkey has seen an atypical spate of violent clashes between protesters and police within recent days, triggered by an attempt by security forces to forcefully disperse a weekend sit-in in Istanbul.
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