Operation Hücre-6: Major criminal network taken down in Türkiye's Kayseri

In Türkiye, Operation Hücre-6 led to significant action against an organised criminal group (OCG) operating in Kayseri. 

The Turkish Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, shared the details of the operation on his social media page, according to Caliber.Az.

Kayseri'de E.Ç.’nin elebaşılığını yaptığı Organize Suç Örgütüne yönelik düzenlenen “HÜCRE-6” operasyonunda 19 şüpheli yakalandı❗

Suçta kibirlenen, kendini hukukun üstünde görenleri 112 Acil Çağrı Merkezine bildirin. Biz gereğini yapalım.

🚩Kayseri Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı ile… pic.twitter.com/HHXiACEbXk

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) January 15, 2025

According to the report, 19 individuals were detained, all members of a criminal organisation led by a person identified as E.Ç. They are suspected of various crimes, including causing harm to people's health, robbery, and involvement in the production and trafficking of drugs.

During the operation, authorities seized a range of illegal items. These included 15 unlicensed pistols, two unlicensed rifles, and a variety of drugs, along with numerous cheques, notes, and digital materials.

This operation builds on the success of a similar crackdown on organised crime carried out earlier, on December 20, 2024. As part of the broader Operation Hücre, police forces have dismantled five organised crime groups across multiple provinces, including Istanbul, Manisa, Erzurum, Kırklareli, and Muğla.

In that earlier operation, 38 suspects were detained, and 24 individuals were arrested. The authorities also confiscated a significant amount of unlicensed weapons, illegal drugs, and a large sum of both foreign currency and Turkish lira. Furthermore, four luxury vehicles, valued at approximately 9 million Turkish liras, were seized and believed to have been obtained through criminal activities.

By Tamilla Hasanova