07.02.2025 12:41
In the "Cell-9" operation targeting the organized crime group led by D.C. in Antalya, 15 suspects were apprehended. It was determined that the organization transferred approximately 20 billion TL to domestic and international affiliates for the purpose of money laundering using the "HAWALA" method. The HAWALA method was also featured in the recent TV series "Deha."
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The teams of the Antalya Provincial Gendarmerie Command initiated a study approximately 2 years ago, coordinated by the Kemer Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, to identify suspects involved in crimes such as 'Usury', 'Fraud', 'Robbery', and 'Money laundering from crime'. They conducted an investigation into how approximately 9 million TL belonging to A.K. was acquired at a jewelry store.
6 MONTHS OF FOOTAGE VIEWED, THE TRUTH EMERGED As a result of examining 6 months of security camera footage from the workplace, it was determined that some individuals brought bags of money to the jeweler without making purchases or received money. Following this, the teams deepening the investigation found that locals and foreigners wishing to make illegal money transfers came to the jewelry and currency exchange offices belonging to K.A., A.K., and D.C., stating the amounts they wanted to send to the suspects.
THEY LAUNDERED MONEY USING THE HAWALA SYSTEM In the illegal money transfer, it was determined that the suspects sent photos of banknotes such as 5, 10 TL and 1, 5, 10 dollars, along with a coded document or a visible serial number, to each other, along with the photos of the persons who would receive or deliver the money. In April 2024, it was found that 15 suspects, who were placed under technical and physical surveillance, had a significant increase in their financial transaction volumes recorded in their bank records after the end of 2020, and that money was transferred to their crypto accounts. They were found to have transferred approximately 20 billion TL through illegal methods and charged about 5% commission on these transactions.
15 SUSPECTS WERE REFERRED TO THE COURT In the operation conducted on Sunday, with the participation of the Gendarmerie General Command Intelligence Department and the KOM Department teams against the criminal organization that included employees and owners of jewelry and currency exchange offices, K.A., A.K., and D.C., along with 15 suspects, including 2 women, were detained and referred to the courthouse after their procedures.
200 MILLION IN CASH AND REAL ESTATE SEIZED Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on his social media account that as a result of the operations, numerous deeds, computers, and storage devices were seized along with cold wallets, and as a result of the report prepared by MASAK, approximately 200 million TL worth of assets obtained from the organized crime group were seized, including 4 residential properties, 2 workplaces, 8 plots of land, and 13 vehicles.
IT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A SERIES The Hawala system was described in the series Deha as follows:
"There is another way to teleport your money. We do Hawala, and it’s done. Hawala is any kind of illegal money transfer. Criminal organizations mostly operate internationally. These organizations have people in the countries they work in. They have people who follow their transactions, purchases, and money transfers using the Hawala system. Since it is not possible to bring the money earned there into the country through legal means, alternative solutions are found. One of these is Hawala. Or using jewelers to transfer money is a simple working method in these places. They take the money from you, put it in a safe there. So the money earned there actually stays there. The Hawala operator there sends a code to his partner in Turkey to send the money to its owner. This code is the serial number on a banknote belonging to the owner of the money. Think of that serial-numbered banknote like a lottery ticket; the photo of the money is with the Hawala operator in Turkey, and the original money is here. The person receiving the money has it in hand. When the banknote matches, the bureau takes out the same amount from its safe and gives it."
WHAT IS THE HAWALA SYSTEM? Hawala is an informal money transfer system widely used worldwide for transferring money across borders without physically transporting cash. This system, which emerged in South Asia in the 8th century, has since spread to regions such as the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
In Hawala transactions, there is no physical movement of cash. Instead, a network of brokers known as Hawaladars coordinates the money transfer between two customers. These brokers settle their balances through a complex, trust-based system.
Hawala operates outside traditional banking and financial systems, making it difficult to track and regulate. It is often used for both legitimate and illegitimate purposes.
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