The verdict hearing of the case in which 7 defendants, who were determined to have committed drug and arms trafficking crimes in certain districts of Istanbul, and who were alleged to be members of the "Masked People" criminal organization, who threatened and demanded financial benefits by calling the people they targeted through international GSM lines and applications registered in the name of foreign nationals before their armed actions, was held.
At the hearing held at Bakırköy 2nd High Criminal Court, detained defendants Muharrem Destan Eğlenti, Necip Doğan and Mert Tuncel and their lawyers were present. The detained defendant, Kadir Akkaya, was connected to the hearing via Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS).
Defendant Necip Doğan, whose last words were asked at the hearing, requested his acquittal from the court. Detained defendant Muharrem Destan Eğlenti said, "I repeat my previous defenses. I do not accept the accusations made against me."
Another detained defendant, Mert Tuncel, said, "I am not a member of the organization, I have nothing to do with the shootings. The weapons and drugs in my house belong to me. I demand my acquittal and release."
Announcing its decision, the court panel ruled that the detained defendant Mert Tuncel, who was listed as a "member of the organization" in the indictment, should be sentenced to a total of 61 years, 1 month and 7 days in prison for the crimes of "being a member of an armed criminal organization", "attempting aggravated plunder", "damaging property", "introducing firearms and bullets into the country without permission, manufacturing, transporting, selling" and "trafficking drugs".
The delegation also acquitted the defendant Tuncel on the charges of 'unlawfully obtaining or disseminating personal data' and 'purchasing or carrying or possessing unlicensed firearms'.
The court board decided that the detained defendant Muharrem Destan Eğlenti should be sentenced to a total of 55 years and 10 months in prison for the crimes of "being a member of an armed criminal organization", "introducing, manufacturing, transporting and selling firearms and bullets into the country without permission" and "trafficking drugs".
The panel also acquitted the defendant Eğlenti separately on charges of 'unlawfully seizing or disseminating personal data', 'attempted aggravated plunder', 'purchasing or carrying or possessing unlicensed firearms' and 'damage to property'.
The committee decided to acquit and release the detained defendant Necip Doğan separately on charges of 'unlawfully seizing or disseminating personal data', 'trafficking or supplying drugs or stimulants', 'damaging property', 'violating law no. 6136', 'qualified plunder' and 'being a member of an organization established for the purpose of committing a crime'.
The committee also decided to separate the files of defendant Kadir Akkaya and fugitive defendants İsa Şahin, Murat Küçükyavuz and Muhammed Nur El Mustafa.
On the other hand, it was also determined that the organization carried out propaganda activities through social media accounts, recruited young people from outside Istanbul and used them as hitmen, and also occasionally formed alliances with new generation criminal organizations with a strong communication network among them.
In the indictment, which stated that new generation criminal organizations with strong communication networks formed an alliance in hostile events, it was stated that Beratcan Gökdemir was the leader of the organization led by Murat Küçükyavuz, that the organization made an alliance with the "Daltons" criminal organization, and that the Black Masks criminal organization served as sub-staff in the "Daltons" criminal organization.
In the indictment, which included the organizational chart, it was stated that suspect Murat Küçükyavuz was the "ringleader of the organization", suspect İsa Şahin was the "organization manager", and the suspects Mert Tuncel, Kadir Akkaya, Muharrem Destan Eğlenti, Muhammed Nur Elmustafa and Necip Doğan were "members of the organization".
In the indictment prepared, the suspects were requested to be punished for the crimes of 'establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime', 'being a member of an organisation', 'illegal seizure of personal data', 'attempting to plunder at night with more than one person by taking advantage of the intimidating power created by existing criminal organizations', 'trafficking drugs or stimulants', 'violating the firearms law' and 'damage to property'.
In the indictment prepared by the Organized Crimes Investigation Bureau of the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated that the individuals committed the crimes of 'drug and stimulant trafficking' and 'weapons trafficking'.
It was revealed in the indictment that the defendants obtained unfair financial benefits by calling and threatening the complainants via international GSM lines and applications registered in the name of foreign nationals before committing the actions, and that if their demands were not met, they shot up the complainants' workplaces.
