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Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns

Updated 10 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-09 15:47 UTC → 2026-09-13 02:30 UTC · added removed

Throughout mid-2026, Turkish law enforcement conducted extensive, multi-agency operations targeting organized crime, including financial fraud, narcotics trafficking, and illegal gambling. Initial operations focused on large-scale fraud networks, such as social-aid impersonation and investment scams. Cyber-crime and digital fraud also emerged as major targets, with authorities dismantling networks involved in credit-card fraud and phishing. In August 2026, high-profile extraditions continued. Serkan Kurtuluş, an organized crime leader wanted via a Red Notice for 33 offenses including premeditated murder, was extradited from Argentina. The Turkish Ministry of Interior identified Kurtuluş as the leader of a criminal group linked to investigations in İzmir, specifically a scheme known as the ‘FETÖ borsası’ (FETÖ exchange). This network allegedly leaked lists of FETÖ suspects to facilitate extortion and kidnapping, involving connections between organized crime, intelligence officials, and political figures. Narcotics enforcement saw massive escalation. A 10-day coordinated operation across 71 provinces resulted in the seizure of 2,367 kilograms of narcotics and over 4 million synthetic pills, leading to the apprehension of 894 suspects. In early September, investigations expanded into drug trafficking and prostitution. In Ankara, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office targeted prominent business figures, leading to the arrests of Selman Reşitoğlu, chairman of Ekpet İnşaat, and Reyhan Çağla Baykam, Vice Chairman of KAM Ankara Beton Sanayi A.Ş. Large-scale seizures continued, including 18.9 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine at Antalya Airport and nearly 2 tons of On September 10, 2026, authorities apprehended İslam Yakut, an international drug raw materials trafficking leader, in Manisa and Mersin. Additionally, at the Ipsala border in Edirne, customs enforcement intercepted 387.348 kilograms Sarıyer district of skunk cannabis hidden in Istanbul. Yakut had been a caravan. In Istanbul, raids in Esenyurt fugitive since 2017 after escaping from custody following a period of leave from a semi-open prison. He was found using a fake foreign identity. His criminal organization was reportedly responsible for approximately 2 tons of narcotics seized across Turkey and Küçükçekmece yielded 26.2 kilograms Europe, managing heroin shipments from Iran and Afghanistan to Europe while facilitating the transport of methamphetamine. synthetic drugs from Europe to Turkey.

Versions

  1. 2026-09-13 02:30 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  2. 2026-09-09 15:47 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  3. 2026-09-07 12:54 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  4. 2026-09-04 15:30 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  5. 2026-09-01 07:07 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  6. 2026-08-28 22:44 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  7. 2026-08-25 15:02 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  8. 2026-08-21 20:02 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  9. 2026-08-16 10:20 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  10. 2026-08-14 12:06 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  11. 2026-07-31 19:30 UTC Turkey widens crackdown on crime, FETÖ, online propaganda

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