Kahramanmaraş operation arrests 22 in large‑scale fake gold scheme

Coordinated by the Kahramanmaraş Public Prosecutor's Office and the Police Anti‑Smuggling and Organized Crime Unit, a simultaneous raid across ten provinces in Turkey led to the arrest of 22 suspects and the detention of 69 individuals linked to an organized counterfeit‑gold network. The operation deployed roughly 150 teams and 490 officers, seizing 10,749 fake gold pieces, 123 counterfeit seals, about 5 kg of raw counterfeit gold, 112 objects classified as historic artifacts, firearms, ammunition, and 26 synthetic drug pills.

Of the 69 detainees, 22 were remanded in custody by a night‑session court, 23 were placed under judicial control, and the remaining suspects were released after police processing. Authorities described the seized items as part of a “mint‑like” production setup, indicating a sophisticated criminal operation targeting the market for state‑minted gold regarded as legal tender.