Operation HÜCRE in Türkiye dismantles five organised crime groups

Five organised crime groups (OCGs) have been dismantled in Türkiye as part of Operation HÜCRE (CELL), conducted across five provinces.

The operation, which targeted criminal networks in Istanbul, Manisa, Erzurum, Kırklareli, and Muğla, led to the detention of 38 suspects, including the ringleaders of the groups. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared the details of the operation on his social media platform X, Caliber.Az reports.

⛔Manisa’da E.K.’nın elebaşılığını yaptığı,
⛔Erzurum’da E.A.’nın elebaşılığını yaptığı,
⛔Kırklareli’nde M.T.’nin elebaşılığını yaptığı,
⛔Muğla’da R.T.’nin elebaşılığını yaptığı ve
⛔İstanbul’da T.K’nın elebaşılığını yaptığı,

5 ayrı Organize Suç Örgütüne yönelik son 2 haftada… pic.twitter.com/ZJZDkFWu20

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) December 20, 2024

Minister Yerlikaya reported the following key developments.

The leaders of the criminal groups were identified as EK in Manisa, EA in Erzurum, MT in Kırklareli, RT in Muğla, and TK in Istanbul.

Out of the 38 suspects, 24 individuals have been arrested.

A series of raids led to the seizure of a significant quantity of unlicensed weapons, illegal drugs, and substantial sums of foreign currency and Turkish lira.

Additionally, four luxury cars, estimated to be worth about 9 million Turkish liras, were confiscated. These vehicles were allegedly acquired through criminal activities.

Operation HÜCRE marks a significant blow to organised crime in Türkiye, underscoring the commitment of law enforcement authorities to combat criminal networks operating across the country.

By Vafa Guliyeva