Minister Gürlek announced! Blow to illegal betting and criminal organizations: Operation in Ankara, Istanbul and Edirne

Minister Gürlek made a statement on his social media account:

We are determined to protect our streets from criminal organizations, our youth from criminal gangs and illegal betting traps!

We continue our fight with determination against the structures that disrupt the peace of our nation, direct our youth to crime, and provide financing to criminal organizations through illegal betting activities.

Our goal is clear: to keep our streets safe, to protect our youth from criminal organizations, to destroy illegal betting networks and to dry up the economic resources of criminal organizations.

In this regard, operations were carried out today within the scope of 3 separate investigations carried out under the coordination of our Ankara, Istanbul and Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices.

ANKARA

In the illegal betting investigation carried out by our Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, operations were carried out against 79 suspects and 23 companies in 18 provinces based in Ankara. Within the scope of the investigation, structures that provide software and call center services for illegal betting activities and money movements related to the transfer of crime proceeds through companies and crypto assets were examined.

In the financial dimension of the investigation, according to the MASAK report, it was determined that the suspicious transaction volume was 21 billion 319 million TL.

55 suspects were detained during the operation. Efforts to capture 24 suspects continue. Within the scope of the investigation, trustees were appointed to 23 companies.

ISTANBUL

In the investigation carried out by our Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against new generation criminal organizations, an operation was carried out against a total of 100 people, 34 of whom were children in the judicial process, in 30 provinces centered in Istanbul, upon the findings that people obtained from social media were directed to criminal activities through messaging groups. During the operation, 87 people, 31 of whom were children in judicial process, were detained, and efforts to capture 13 people continue.

EDIRNE

In the illegal betting investigation carried out by our Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, an operation was carried out in 5 provinces centered in Edirne against 12 suspects whose bank accounts had a total transaction volume of 1 billion TL in the last month. 8 suspects were detained during the operation, and efforts to capture 4 suspects continue.

Regardless of the type of crime, method or field of activity, all criminal organizations will see the power of our state! We will dry up the economic resources of criminal organizations, narrow their areas of activity, and continue our fight uncompromisingly.

I would like to thank our Ankara, Istanbul and Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices who conducted the investigations, our law enforcement officers who took part in the operations, and all our institutions that contributed.

We will fight determinedly to root out criminal organizations and illegal betting networks, and to protect the peace of our streets and the future of our youth!