09.01.2026 09:11
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that 96 suspects were arrested in operations centered in Istanbul and conducted in 21 provinces against an organized crime group led by an individual currently imprisoned abroad. It was determined that the organization placed minors in safe houses, used these children in acts of injury, shooting, and robbery, and attempted to recruit members to the organization by promising a luxurious lifestyle through social media.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that operations were carried out in 21 provinces centered in Istanbul. Minister Yerlikaya reported that 96 suspects were captured in operations targeting an organized crime group led by an individual currently imprisoned abroad.
"WE WANTED TO PREVENT OUR CITIZENS FROM BEING HARMED BY THE CRIMES THE ORGANIZATION COULD COMMIT"
Stating that it was determined that the crime organization was using underage children, Ali Yerlikaya conveyed the details of the operation with the following statements:
"In our simultaneous operations this morning against the Organized Crime Organization led by an individual imprisoned abroad in 21 provinces centered in Istanbul, we captured 96 suspects!
We prevented our citizens from being harmed by crimes such as robbery and intentional injury that members of this organized crime group could commit.
THEY ARE USING UNDERAGE CHILDREN
As a result of the efforts carried out by our Organized Crime Fighting Branch of the Istanbul Police Department, coordinated by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office;
In the simultaneous operations conducted this morning in Ankara, Izmir, Diyarbakır, Antalya, Amasya, Ordu, Düzce, Elazığ, Şanlıurfa, Trabzon, Mardin, Tokat, Sinop, Bitlis, Samsun, Çanakkale, Sakarya, Adıyaman, Malatya, and Tekirdağ centered in Istanbul, the suspects captured;
It was found that they generally placed underage individuals in the organization's safe houses,
And that they used these individuals in acts of intentional injury, workplace shootings, and threats for the purpose of robbery with stolen vehicles or motorcycles,
THEY ARE TRYING TO RECRUIT MEMBERS TO THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
It was determined that they were trying to recruit members to crime organizations by promising a luxurious lifestyle and high earnings through social media platforms and were propagating the organization.
We are resolutely continuing our fight against organized crime organizations.
I congratulate our Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, our Istanbul Police Chief, and all those who contributed."