Turkey intensifies security diplomacy in Greece to combat organized crime

Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi has announced a series of diplomatic visits to combat organized crime, terrorism, and irregular migration. Following meetings in Greece with Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis, Çiftçi emphasized that Turkey is pursuing a ‘security diplomacy’ strategy to ensure that criminals cannot find refuge abroad.

During the first nine months of the year, Turkey conducted 1,741 operations against 625 organized crime groups, 22 of which had international connections. These efforts resulted in the arrest of 8,170 members. Çiftçi reported that 714 individuals have been extradited to Turkey so far this year, and 969 red notices have been issued.

In Athens, Çiftçi specifically requested the expedited extradition of 60 individuals currently held by Greek authorities, some of whom are wanted under red notices. He warned that ‘Greece should not be a haven for criminals’ and stressed the importance of rapid information sharing through Interpol to prevent criminals from evading justice.