Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Tuesday that 234 high-ranking members of organized crime syndicates were taken into custody across Turkey as part of a major international operation targeting global drug trafficking and money laundering networks.
During a press conference in Ankara, Yerlikaya explained that 225 suspects were apprehended on Tuesday morning, while the remaining nine were arrested in coordinated operations in Europe. Among those arrested, 10 individuals were on Interpol’s Red Notice list, a system that connects law enforcement from across the globe to help find and arrest individuals attempting to evade the law.
A video released by the Turkish Interior Ministry shows arrests in the cities of Istanbul, Bursa, Hakkari, Balikesir, Izmir, Van and Kirklareli.
The coordinated operation was carried out by the Turkish National Police in cooperation with the Anti-Narcotics Department, the Interpol-Europol Department and the Istanbul Police, according to Yerlikaya. Turkey's Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) also contributed, alongside law enforcement from the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Europol.
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