Türkiye detains 38 people for monopolising bread production in Mersin

Turkish authorities arrested 38 members of an organised crime group in Mersin after the group tried to monopolise the country’s lavash bread market, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

The operation targeted racketeering and violent crimes connected to the illegal scheme, per Caliber.Az.

Mersin’de Barış Turgut Organize Suç Örgütüne yönelik eş zamanlı olarak belirlenen adreslere düzenlediğimiz operasyonda örgütün elebaşıyla birlikte 38 şüpheliyi yakaladık❗️

Şüphelilerden;
🔻Elebaşı ile birlikte 17 örgüt üyesi TUTUKLANDI.
🔻19’i hakkında adli kontrol hükümleri… pic.twitter.com/kW8jTz3FzR

— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) January 26, 2026

The arrests include the head of the group and 17 active members. Authorities reported that the criminals were involved in racketeering against producers and were implicated in two cases of intentional bodily harm.

During the search, police confiscated several firearms, 23 vehicles purchased through criminal means, and 85 bank accounts with a total balance of nearly 11 billion Turkish liras.

By Khagan Isayev