Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced that judicial proceedings have been initiated against 161 suspects in simultaneous operations targeting 5 organized crime groups across 3 investigations centered in Istanbul and Ankara.
In a statement from his social media account, Minister Gürlek stated that in line with the strong will demonstrated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and in full coordination and cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, they are resolutely continuing the fight against crime organizations and street gangs that threaten the peace of the nation and the future of its youth.
Providing information regarding the 3 investigations conducted within this scope, Gürlek noted the following:
"Within the scope of 3 separate investigations conducted by our Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, judicial proceedings have been initiated against a total of 161 suspects in simultaneous operations targeting 5 separate organized crime networks. In the investigation carried out by our Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, simultaneous operations were conducted at 93 addresses across 7 provinces, centered in Istanbul, against an armed crime organization led by an individual who is a fugitive abroad, and proceedings were initiated against a total of 107 suspects. In the investigation conducted by our Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, simultaneous operations were carried out across 6 provinces, centered in Istanbul, against 3 separate new-generation organized armed crime organizations whose leaders are abroad, and judicial proceedings were initiated against a total of 39 suspects. In the investigation conducted under the coordination of our Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, an operation was carried out against a crime organization determined to have committed crimes of armed threat, extortion, and robbery, and all 15 suspects were apprehended and taken into custody."
Gürlek thanked the chief public prosecutor's offices conducting the investigations and the personnel involved in the operations, stating, "Our citizens should rest assured; our state will stand firm against every threat to the peace of our nation, and organized crime groups will under no circumstances be allowed to establish themselves in our cities or reach out to the future of our children."