Operation Hücre in Türkiye: 10 organised crime groups dismantled

In a significant law enforcement operation, Turkish authorities have successfully dismantled ten organised crime groups (OCGs) as part of Operation Hücre, which spanned over a 15-day period.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared details of the operation via social media, emphasizing the swift and effective actions taken against the crime syndicates, Caliber.Az reports.

Son 15 gün içinde Jandarma tarafından düzenlenen “HÜCRE” operasyonlarında;
📍Iğdır’da E.Ç.’nin elebaşılığını yaptığı,
📍İstanbul’da N.A.’nın elebaşılığını yaptığı,
📍Afyonkarahisar’da Ş.Y.’nin elebaşılığını yaptığı,
📍Balıkesir’de M.A.’nın elebaşılığını yaptığı,
📍Şanlıurfa’da… pic.twitter.com/Wd6tEvmE4w

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) January 17, 2025

The operation, led by the Turkish Ministry of the Interior, resulted in the arrest of 66 individuals linked to these criminal organisations, including their leaders. Of the 66 individuals detained, 47 have been formally arrested, Turkish authorities said.

The operation yielded substantial evidence and seized numerous illegal items, including 31 unlicensed pistols, six unlicensed hunting rifles, and 875 materials used in the manufacturing of weapons. Additionally, authorities confiscated various quantities of drugs, edged weapons, several computers, mobile phones, and bank cards, all of which are believed to have been used in the groups' illicit activities.

Earlier, 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 Vafa Guliyeva