Gebze-based TIR smuggling operation: 13 suspects caught

Within the scope of the investigation carried out by the Gebze Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, an investigation was initiated against the crimes of illegally smuggling international trucks into the country, forgery of official documents and purchasing smuggled goods for commercial purposes. As a result of the technical follow-up and field studies of Kocaeli Provincial Police Department Gebze Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime (KOM) Branch Directorate and Kocaeli Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate teams, it was determined that the license plates of the trucks brought to Turkey from abroad were changed and the tracking systems placed on the vehicles at customs entrances were dismantled.

During the investigation, it was determined that the tracking systems of tractors and semi-trailers brought to Turkey from various countries, especially Georgia, were removed and their traces were lost. It was revealed that the hijacked vehicles were taken to Konya, where they were dismantled and used as spare parts, or their license plate and chassis information were changed with the information of other vehicles registered in Turkey and put on the market with the 'change' method. As a result of technical follow-up, field investigations, License Plate Recognition System (PTS) records, base station data and criminal investigations, it was determined that the suspects were connected to 20 separate incidents.

During the operations carried out within the scope of the investigation, 2 tractors and 3 trailers, which were considered to be used in smuggling activities, were seized. 6 tractors, which were determined to have been 'changed' by processing the chassis information of old vehicles registered in Turkey after being brought from abroad, and 6 tractors, whose chassis information was determined to have been changed, although they were registered in Turkey, were also seized. Thus, a total of 14 tractors and 3 trailers were seized.

Among the incidents involving the suspects was the smuggling of a total of 21 tons of pure acetic acid in 20 IBCs prepared for export to Kyrgyzstan. It was determined that a total of 86 thousand 12 square meters of fabric in 1262 containers shipped to Georgia were smuggled within the country with trucks. It was reported that 19 thousand 760 kilograms of fabric chemicals, which were shipped to be exported to Russia, were seized during an attempt to smuggle them.

A simultaneous operation was organized in 7 provinces on November 10, 2026, in order to capture the suspects identified within the scope of the investigation. A total of 13 suspects were caught: 4 in Istanbul, 1 in Kocaeli, 1 in Sakarya, 3 in Şırnak, 2 in Konya, 1 in Bolu and 1 in Edirne. Legal proceedings were initiated against 14 people within the scope of the investigation, including a suspect who was in prison for another crime.