20.01.2026 15:26
In the indictment prepared against the 'Casperlar' criminal organization, it was revealed that a young man looking for welding and electrical work at construction sites in Silvan, Diyarbakır, unknowingly contacted members of the criminal organization through the guidance of a coworker and was called to Istanbul to work in construction.
In the indictment prepared against the 'Casperlar' criminal organization, it was stated that a young man looking for welding and electrical work in construction in Silvan, Diyarbakır, unknowingly contacted members of the criminal organization under the guidance of a work colleague he had known for 15 years, believing he had come to Istanbul to work in construction, and it was determined that he was being coerced into participating in the organization's activities. Naif S. said, "I was unemployed. I asked Halil brother, whom I have known for 15 years, if he could find me a welding job. I called the number he gave me. I explained my situation and asked if he could give me a job. He told me to come to Istanbul, and he would find me a job, and he sent me money for travel expenses and my needs by asking for my account number. I came to Istanbul with that money." After being placed in a safe house, Naif S. stated that he was forcibly given a weapon, saying, "I told them that these jobs are dangerous and that I couldn't do it. He said, 'If you don't take it, I'll shoot you.' I took the weapon he gave me and put it on my waist because I was scared."
IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ORGANIZATION COMMITTED 7 MURDERS AND 116 SEPARATE ACTIONS IN 5 PROVINCES AND 24 DISTRICTS
In the investigation conducted by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the 'Casperlar' armed criminal organization, an indictment consisting of 839 pages was prepared regarding 223 suspects, 145 of whom are detained. It was determined that the organization, led by İsmail Atız, known by the nickname 'Hamuş', was involved in numerous armed and organized crime actions in various provinces, especially Istanbul, between May 10, 2023, and June 29, 2025. All aspects of the activities of the 'Casperlar' armed criminal organization were included in the indictment. It was determined that the organization committed 7 murders and 116 separate actions in 5 provinces and 24 districts.
In the indictment, it was recorded that the leader of the organization is İsmail Atız, and its administrators are İsmail Göleli, Hüseyin Kaan Akkuş, İsa Doğan, Mehmet Erhan Atız, Serhat Başakçi, and Süleyman Doğan. It was noted that these individuals played an active role in planning actions, supplying weapons, organizing safe houses, recruiting members, and managing threats and extortion processes.
'COME TO ISTANBUL, I WILL FIND YOU A JOB'
In the indictment, Naif S.'s statement was included: "I was living with my family in Silvan, Diyarbakır. I was unemployed and looking for a job. In this regard, I called my brother, whom I have known for about 10-15 years, known as Halil S. and saved in my phone book as 'Gelal Abo', on March 13, 2025, and explained my situation, asking if he had any welding or electrical work. He sent me a foreign number and said that if I talked to this number, he would find me a job. I called the number Halil brother sent me. The person I spoke to was male and had a regional accent. I explained my situation to him and asked if he could give me a job. He told me to come to Istanbul, and he would find me a job, and he said they would send money for travel expenses and my needs by asking for my account number. I received a total of 11,000 lira in parts from an unknown person. I came to Istanbul with that money. The same number sent me a location. I took a taxi to the location. He said, 'Go home and rest.' Here, on the street, a person about 1.75 meters tall, dark-skinned, slightly bearded, around 20-25 years old, whom I could recognize if I saw him again, greeted me and said, 'Welcome, brother,' and gave me the house key. Then he left. When I entered the house, there was no one else there. I became uneasy and suspicious of the movements and speech of the dark-skinned person who greeted me when I entered the house. Therefore, when I entered the house, I checked it, and there was nothing in the house."
'IF YOU DON'T TAKE IT, I'LL SHOOT YOU'
Naif S. said, "Later, I lay down and slept. About 2-3 hours later, the person who gave me the key came to the door. I opened the door for him and let him in. However, I was so tired that I went straight to sleep. This person was playing with his phone inside. On March 15, 2025, around 11:00, I woke up, and he woke up too. I asked him what we were doing today, what the job was. He told me, 'We are currently waiting; if a job comes up, we will go in the evening.' After that, I left the house to explore Istanbul. I received another location from the same foreign number. It said Şirinevler. He told me to go to this location, and when I arrived, a man would greet me. So, I went to this location. I saw that a person was waiting for me at this location. This person took me to an alley and gave me a weapon. At first, I didn't want it; I said that these jobs are dangerous and that I couldn't do it. Then this man threatened me and said, 'If you don't take it, I'll shoot you.' I took the weapon he gave me and put it on my waist because I was scared. This person told me, 'You will receive a location, and you will go to this location and give this weapon to the car waiting there.' After that, I left the man."
'I RAN INTO A POLICE OPERATION, I HANDED OVER THE WEAPON'
Naif S. said, "I received another location from the same number. I got into a commercial taxi. While going to the location, I received a photo of the vehicle from this number again. They asked me to identify the vehicle. However, I received another message from this number saying, 'Give the weapon to those in the vehicle and go with them in the car.' I said okay because I was scared. While I was on my way to the location, I ran into a police operation. I got out of the vehicle and handed over the weapon I had to the police officers and informed them about the events. I regret what happened very much. I came to Istanbul for welding and electrical work. If I had known about these jobs, I would never have come."
In the indictment, it was noted that the organization used unemployed individuals in need of money and young individuals to recruit members for the organization to be used in the organization's actions. It was determined that the leaders and management of the Casperlar armed criminal organization recruited individuals in need of money in exchange for money and shelter and used them in their actions.