09.02.2026 11:51
The "new generation" crime organization led by Selman Atasever, which extorted money from tradesmen in Çanakkale and threatened businesses that refused with weapons, was dismantled in an operation conducted after 6 months of surveillance; 8 people were arrested.
As a result of a technical and physical surveillance conducted under the coordination of the Çanakkale Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for 6 months, an organized crime group targeting local tradesmen was dismantled. In an operation launched in December last year following a complaint from a restaurant owner, 8 suspects, including the leader of the organization, were arrested.
EXTORTION FROM TRADESMEN, THREATS TO THOSE WHO REFUSE
In the investigation deepened by the Çanakkale Provincial Police Department, it was determined that the crime organization led by Selman Atasever regularly demanded "protection money" from local tradesmen. It was found that the organization carried out armed attacks on businesses that rejected their demands during the night, attempting to take over workplaces through threats and pressure. It was also revealed that the gang financed the organization through drug trafficking.
HEADQUARTERS ON THE TERRACE OF A 5-STAR HOTEL
According to the news by Cennete Üstemel from Sabah; One of the most striking details of the investigation was the organization's headquarters. It was determined that Selman Atasever used a bar located on the terrace of a 5-star hotel in the city center as his base, giving all instructions from there. It was revealed through the seized digital materials that 10 separate criminal acts, which seemed independent from each other, were managed from a single center.
SIMULTANEOUS OPERATIONS AT 25 ADDRESSES
In simultaneous raids conducted by the Çanakkale Police at 25 addresses, the organization's weapons and equipment were seized. During the searches, 3 unlicensed pistols, 105 cartridges, a ballistic vest, a sword, 97 grams of narcotic substances, and a precision scale were confiscated.
8 PEOPLE ARRESTED
Of the 18 suspects sent to the courthouse, the organization leader Selman Atasever, along with Fevzican K., Furkan Mustafa D., Şafak Can Z., Ali K., Oğuzhan T., Erdi C., and Can D. were arrested and sent to prison. It was learned that the investigation is ongoing regarding the organization's connections and other suspects.