Minister of Justice Gürlek: 5th wave operation in the AHBAP investigation

Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced that the 5th wave operation was launched against 53 suspects in 20 provinces centered in Istanbul in the AHBAP investigation.

Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced that the 5th wave operation was launched to capture 53 suspects in 20 provinces, centered in Istanbul, within the scope of the investigation into the fate of the earthquake donations collected through the AHBAP Association after the February 6 earthquakes.

Gürlek stated that within the scope of the investigation, it was determined that 4.3 billion liras of donations were collected, 950 million liras were withdrawn in cash and a total of 1 billion 757 million 547 thousand 770 liras were transferred to 29 companies and 7 private companies.

Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek stated that the 5th wave operation was launched this morning by the Istanbul Provincial Police Department, under the coordination of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

of the operation; Gürlek stated that it was based on the evidence obtained in line with the inspector reports of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, special audit reports, the financial records and inventory of the association, bank movements, expert examinations and the statements of the suspects who benefited from the provisions of effective repentance, and shared the following information:

"NECESSARY ACTIONS HAVE BEEN STARTED"

"It was determined that between February 6 and December 31, 2023, 4.3 billion TL of donations were collected to be delivered to our earthquake victims, 4.2 billion TL of which was spent; 950 million TL was withdrawn in cash, and one of these withdrawals was 500 million TL at a time.

A total of 1 billion 757 million 547 thousand 770 TL was transferred to 29 companies and 7 private companies; It was determined that no goods or services were purchased in return for some high-amount expenses, personal benefits were gained from the transportation of aid, and some aid was delivered to public institutions less than stated in the invoices.

In line with all the findings, a simultaneous operation was organized in 20 provinces centered in Istanbul to capture 53 suspects. Investigations have been initiated to determine the real commercial activities of the companies to which money transfers are made.

It was determined that hundreds of tents, wheelchairs, electric bicycles, stationery products and various aid materials provided for earthquake victims were kept unused in warehouses in Izmit. Necessary procedures have been initiated to deliver these materials to their rightful owners.

I would like to thank our Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which carried out the investigation with great sensitivity, our Istanbul Provincial Police Department, which carried out the operations successfully, and all our public officials who took part in the process.

"Under the leadership of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we will continue to use all the possibilities of the state of law with determination against the exploitation of the goodwill, helpfulness of our citizens and the spirit of solidarity of our nation."