08.04.2025 12:32
At the Kapıkule Border Gate, 38 customs officers were detained in a bribery operation. A detention warrant was issued for 350 individuals as part of the operation. While the repercussions of the incident continue, footage of the officers accepting bribes has also emerged.
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In coordination with the Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 38 customs officers were detained in an operation conducted as part of a bribery investigation targeting customs enforcement officers stationed at the Kapıkule Border Gate. Arrest warrants were issued for 350 individuals in connection with the operation. While the repercussions of the incident continue, footage of the moments when the officers received bribes has also emerged.
TECHNICAL SURVEILLANCE INITIATED
As part of the joint efforts of the Edirne Gendarmerie Command's Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch, the Intelligence Branch, and the Edirne Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate, technical and planned intelligence activities were initiated in January. During the surveillance, findings indicating that bribes were taken from individuals entering and exiting Turkey led to the installation of hidden cameras at the platforms.
SIMULTANEOUS OPERATION CONDUCTED
Within the framework of the investigation conducted under the coordination of the Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, an arrest warrant was issued for 38 customs enforcement officers stationed at the Kapıkule Border Gate. Simultaneous searches were carried out at the addresses of the suspects. In an operation organized with the support of the Gendarmerie General Command's Anti-Smuggling Department's ATAK teams, the Intelligence Department's Technical Branch, and Customs Enforcement teams, 38 individuals were detained. During the searches at the suspects' addresses, 14,600 dollars, 21,325 euros, and 89,800 lira in cash were seized. Additionally, arrest warrants were issued for 350 individuals alleged to have given bribes. The processing of the detained suspects at the gendarmerie is ongoing.
91 PEOPLE HAD BEEN ARRESTED IN MERSIN
In coordination with the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, following an operation carried out by the Provincial Police Department's Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch teams in December 2024, 24 customs officers, including the free zone customs director and the deputy customs director, along with 67 customs consultants, were arrested by the court. One suspect was released under judicial control.
A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND GOLD WERE SEIZED
Among those detained were customs officers, consultants, and employees. The operation resulted in the seizure of 128,500 lira, 40,355 dollars, 42 grams of gold bars, 18 bracelets, a gold belt, 2 gold chains, reşat gold, 64 full, 11 half, and 63 quarter gold coins, 3 unlicensed pistols, 371 cartridges, 9 watches, and information regarding the seizure of drug pills was also reported.
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