29.06.2025 09:21
An operation named "BALKIZ" was carried out against a gang that took men they met through dating apps in Ankara to agreed-upon restaurants and forced them to pay hefty bills. It was determined that the suspects collected money from the victims through threats, assault, and coercion, and then blocked them on social media. Out of the 18 suspects captured in the operation, 8 were arrested.
Under the coordination of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, an operation named "BALKIZ" was carried out by the teams of the Provincial Police Department's Public Order Branch against a criminal organization that lured victims through dating applications.
THEY MET THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND TOOK THEM TO A RESTAURANT
As a result of the investigations, it was determined that the suspects, who communicated with men through dating applications using female profiles, specifically identified victims and took them to a restaurant owned by themselves, inviting the victims under the pretext of a meeting and then forcibly collecting large sums of money through high bills at the workplace.
THEY TOOK MONEY BY THREAT AND ASSAULT
In the operation, it was found that the suspects collected money from the complainants by scaring them with threats, assault, and pressure, using cash, POS devices, and direct bank transfers, and after the collections, the victims were blocked on social media.
THEY SHARED THE MONEY AMONG THEMSELVES
It was determined that individuals referred to as "printers" communicated with the victim over the internet, that the suspects directed the victim to the venue as part of their role, and that exorbitant bills were presented by suspects acting as waiters, security, and business operators within the venue, applying physical violence to victims who refused to pay, and that the money was shared among the individuals.
8 SUSPECTS WERE ARRESTED
As a result of physical and technical surveillance, it was determined that a total of 19 incidents had occurred during the operation, and 18 suspects were referred to the court. In the court proceedings, 8 suspects were arrested.