Turkish police round up 56 suspects on Interpol most wanted lists in dawn swoop
Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Turkish security forces arrested 56 suspects wanted by Interpol on charges ranging from organized crime and murder to human trafficking and corruption in dawn raids across the country Wednesday.
Acting on so-called Red Notices from the France-based international criminal police organization, police detained the suspects in Istanbul and 10 other provinces on behalf of 18 countries including the United States, Germany, India, Russia and several former Soviet Republics, as well as Israel and Palestine, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a post on X.
"I congratulate our heroic police officers who carried out the operation at dawn this morning. Our nation's prayers are with you. Our state's breath is always on the necks of terrorists and their collaborators, organized crime organizations, poison dealers and criminal centers," Yerlikaya wrote.
1⃣1⃣ İlimizde eş zamanlı olarak düzenlenen "KAFES-28" operasyonuyla 1⃣8⃣ ülke tarafından haklarında INTERPOL'ün Kırmızı Bülten ve ❌ Difüzyon Mesajı (Acil Yakalama Mesajı) ile arama kaydı bulunan 5️⃣6⃣ şahıs yakalandı.
Aziz Milletimizin Bilmesini İsterim ki; Hangi... pic.twitter.com/jE40hRHgA5— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) January 3, 2024
The unnamed individuals were detained in a coordinated operation, codenamed "Cage-28", executed by national and provincial police under the direction of the Interior Ministry to arrest individuals with so-called Diffusion Messages recorded against them by one or more countries seeking their arrest and extradition.
Other offenses for which arrest warrants were executed included membership in criminal organizations, drug trafficking, money laundering, assault, robbery, theft, counterfeiting, prostitution, bribery and forgery.
The countries where the suspects are wanted can now begin extradition proceedings.
Wednesday's raids came 24 hours after authorities arrested 33 people accused of spying for Israel.
The suspects were detained in a major operation in Istanbul and eight surrounding provinces with Yerlikaya alleging some were members of Israel's intelligence agency Mossad and bent on kidnapping and assaulting foreign nationals in Turkey.
At least one illicit firearm, ammunition, digital evidence and almost $200,000 in cash were seized in raids on 57 addresses, according to the minister.
Turkey has been strongly critical of Israel's against Hamas in Gaza, in particular the high civilian death toll now more than 22,000.
