Turkish authorities bust 3 organized crime syndicates, arresting 45 suspects
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya Friday announced the successful dismantling of three organized crime groups and the arrest of 45 suspects in the “Kuyu-2” operations centered in Aydin, Erzurum and Karaman.
Yerlikaya assured the public that the government remains determined to apprehend and bring to justice members of organized crime groups, regardless of their attempts to evade capture.
These operations, coordinated by the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Department of the General Command of the Gendarmerie, spanned five provinces.
In Aydin, 21 suspects were arrested for crimes including qualified fraud, forgery in official documents, and violations of the tax procedure law. These individuals operated as couriers on online sales platforms, issuing fake invoices and receipts to simulate fuel purchases from gas stations, causing significant financial damage to the state.
In Erzurum, 17 suspects were arrested for organized drug manufacturing and trafficking, having obtained and sold narcotic and stimulant substances.
In Karaman, seven suspects were arrested for organized usury, lending money at high interest rates, and using threats and violence to collect debts multiple times forcibly.
The operations led to the seizure of handguns, shotguns, narcotics, fake invoices, receipts, promissory notes, title deeds and various digital materials used in the crimes.
Yerlikaya commended the efforts of the gendarmerie and public prosecutors involved in the operations and expressed his gratitude for their dedication to protecting the public.
