Turkish operation leads to collapse of international crime network

Operation ‘Kafes-36’ leads to a major victory against organized crime in Türkiye, with 18 arrests including foreign nationals

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced the collapse of an organized crime group with international connections.

The operation, codenamed “Kafes-36,” was executed simultaneously in seven provinces, centered in Tekirdağ, and led to the arrest of 18 suspects, including seven foreigners.

The group was known for committing fraud, blackmail, and threats by using social media to orchestrate their crimes.

Using fake profiles with female images, they contacted male Turkish citizens, engaging in video calls to record compromising footage.

These recordings were then used for blackmail.

In addition, the suspects, including women, deceived victims with promises of marriage, further extorting money.

They also facilitated the entry of other foreign nationals into Türkiye to open numerous bank accounts for their fraudulent operations.

The group managed to defraud approximately 30 million Turkish Lira through these activities.

The comprehensive operation led to the seizure of various assets, including two automobiles, 33 mobile phones, 27 SIM cards, 47 bank cards from diverse banks, substantial amounts of foreign and Turkish currencies, and fake employment documents and government papers.

Yerlikaya, in his announcement, emphasized the government’s unwavering vigilance against those disrupting public peace.

He expressed his gratitude toward the police force involved and assured that the justice system of Türkiye would not let such criminal elements go unpunished.

Source: Newsroom