09.10.2025 23:23
In the investigation launched against the officials of Istanbul Gold Refinery (İAR) Inc. and its affiliated companies, on the grounds that they caused public harm in an organized manner by obtaining state support through fraudulent means, 20 out of the 24 suspects who were detained were referred to the court with a request for arrest. The court has ordered the arrest of the 20 suspects.
20 people who were referred to the court in the investigation of Istanbul Gold Refinery Inc. have been arrested.
THE INVESTIGATION OF GOLD REFINERY INC. CONTINUES
The investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is ongoing regarding 24 suspects, including officials from IAR Inc. and its affiliated companies, who are accused of causing public harm in an organized manner by obtaining state support through fraudulent means.
THEY WERE REFERRED TO COURT
The procedures of the 24 suspects who were detained as part of the investigation have been completed at the Provincial Gendarmerie Command. One of the suspects was released from here. The 23 suspects who underwent a health check were taken to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan. Of the suspects whose statements were taken by the prosecutor's office, 20 were referred to the peace criminal court with a request for their arrest on charges of "establishing a criminal organization," "being a member of a criminal organization," and "fraud against public harm."
20 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED
Two of the suspects were sent to the court with a request for the application of judicial control measures. One suspect who was questioned was released by the prosecutor's office. The court decided to arrest 20 suspects and to apply judicial control measures for 2 suspects.
INVESTIGATION
In the investigation conducted by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was published that the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey issued a "Implementation Instruction Regarding the Support for the Conversion of Companies' Foreign Currency Resources into Turkish Lira," under which the state provided a 3% support to companies that brought foreign currency into the country through exports. However, it was determined that some individuals imported gold ore from abroad through companies to obtain the support provided by the state.
It was alleged that the gold ore imported by the companies was melted in gold mines located in the country, and the melted gold was processed by mixing it with acid solutions, and the valuable metal components that emerged in this way were legally exported abroad, generating foreign currency income.
As part of the investigation, Özcan Halaç, the owner of IAR Inc., Ayşen Esen, the General Manager of IAR, Nasuh Göçmen, the Accounting Manager of IAR, Serdar Saraç, the Marketing Manager of IAR, and his wife Betül Saraç, an employee of Halk Bank, Erkam Halaç, an employee of IAR, Bülent Halaç, an employee of Gram Gold Precious Metals Refinery Inc., Erman Dönmez, the Manager of Gram Gold Precious Metals Refinery Inc., İbrahim Sontur, an employee of Yalçıntaş Precious Metals Trade Ltd. Co., Mehmet Bora Tütüncüoğlu, the Manager of Kuyumcukent Energy Production and Operation Inc., and Cenk Kocatüfek, the Operations Manager of Istanbul Silver Refinery Inc., were alleged to have established 24 new companies on behalf of themselves and 30 employees of the mentioned companies to obtain the 3% support provided by the state.
It was determined in the investigation that these companies received a 3% state support on a total export amount of 543 million 634 thousand 253 dollars under the name of precious metals and gold components, systematically causing a loss of 12 million 537 thousand 560 dollars to the state through a certain organization. 24 suspects, who are the owners and employees of these companies, were identified.
Arrest warrants were issued for the suspects on charges of "Violation of the Law No. 1211 of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey and its Communiqués," "Violation of the Law No. 4749 on the Regulation of Public Financing and Debt Management," and "Violation of the Law No. 1567 on the Protection of the Value of the Turkish Currency."
Following the arrest warrant from the prosecutor's office, 21 suspects were detained in a simultaneous operation conducted by the Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command in 12 districts of Istanbul. In ongoing operations, 3 more individuals who were in a fugitive status were captured.
Source: AA