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Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns

14 recorded revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-24 13:23 UTC → 2026-10-07 14:26 UTC · added removed

In mid-September 2026, the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Istanbul launched two major investigations targeting individuals in the arts, sports, and social media sectors for facilitating drug use, blackmail, and privacy violations. On September 20, these These investigations resulted in detention warrants for 24 suspects, with led to the Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command apprehending detention of 21 individuals. High-profile detainees included suspects, including actors Aras Bulut İynemli, Melis Sezen, and Nilperi Şahinkaya, as well as singer Sefo (Seyfullah Sağır). During questioning, Melis Sezen denied all allegations and offered to provide biological samples, while Aras Bulut İynemli denied involvement in organizing drug-related parties. Actress Afra Saraçoğlu was also detained at Istanbul Airport but was subsequently released following medical examinations. singer Sefo. Simultaneously, narcotics enforcement in Istanbul intensified. Between September 21 and 23, the Istanbul Police Department's Narcotics Crimes Branch conducted operations across districts including Beşiktaş, Şişli, Sarıyer, and Esenyurt, seizing police seized over 551 kilograms of methamphetamine and detaining detained 188 suspects. In Bağcılar, authorities raided a business disguised as raid on a printing shop, uncovering shop uncovered a production site for synthetic cannabinoids. This raid yielded 40.5 kilograms of AM-2201 and several hundred kilograms cannabinoids capable of chemical substances, which officials estimated could produce producing approximately 4.5 tons of ‘bonzai’. By late September, the Ministry of Interior reported a significant rise in synthetic drug seizures, noting a 60-fold increase between 2019 and 2025. Additional operations in Turkey included the seizure of 328,000 drug pills in Mersin, 20.26 kilograms of methamphetamine at Istanbul Airport, and the arrest of three foreign nationals in Konya for attempting to smuggle methamphetamine via swallowed capsules. In Cyprus, police operations in Nicosia, Ercan Airport, and Kyrenia resulted in eight arrests and the seizure of various narcotics and a firearm. On October 7, an indictment was prepared regarding the ‘Kütüphane’ nightclub in Istanbul, following a December 2025 operation. Business partners Yılmaz Efe and Ali Yaşar Koz are accused of facilitating drug use within the venue. The indictment cites digital evidence, including voice recordings and messages discussing the provision of substances to patrons, alongside forensic tests identifying cocaine and amphetamines.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-07 14:26 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  2. 2026-09-24 13:23 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  3. 2026-09-21 16:27 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  4. 2026-09-18 06:40 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  5. 2026-09-13 02:30 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  6. 2026-09-09 15:47 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  7. 2026-09-07 12:54 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  8. 2026-09-04 15:30 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  9. 2026-09-01 07:07 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  10. 2026-08-28 22:44 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  11. 2026-08-25 15:02 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  12. 2026-08-21 20:02 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  13. 2026-08-16 10:20 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  14. 2026-08-14 12:06 UTC Turkish organized crime and fraud crackdowns
  15. 2026-07-31 19:30 UTC Turkey widens crackdown on crime, FETÖ, online propaganda

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