Porters roam the narrow streets of Laleli in central Istanbul carrying parcels ready for shipment to customers all over the world.
The maze of alleys that lead down to the Sea of Marmara have long been the center of the "suitcase trade" to sub-Saharan Africa, a route through which merchants carry goods back and forth in their baggage.
But Laleli's informal shipping scene, once a bustling hub of cross-continental trade, is now facing growing pressure from rising costs and tougher residency rules imposed by Turkish authorities.
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