Prostitution Operation in Antalya and Adana: 35 Women Rescued, 14 People Detained

Under the coordination of the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, a comprehensive operation against prostitution events was carried out by teams from the Morality Bureau Office, attached to the Provincial Police Department's Public Security Branch. The primary objective of the operation was determined as the complete prevention of prostitution events, the prevention of the spread of venereal diseases in society, and the minimization of infectious risks. Additionally, emphasis was placed on efforts to rescue women forcibly involved in these criminal activities and to decipher organized crime organizations in the background. To dismantle the identified network, the teams meticulously applied both technical surveillance and physical observation methods for approximately 3 months. As a result of obtained evidence and intelligence information, the structure and activity areas of the organization were mapped in detail.

As a result of the detailed analysis of the process, the identities of 18 suspects were determined and arrest warrants were issued for them. Law enforcement officers conducted simultaneous raids on multiple addresses in Antalya and Adana provinces on June 30 to execute these warrants. The operation was planned in a coordinated manner targeting the ringleaders and supporters of the crime organization and was implemented starting from the early hours of the morning. It was stated that the simultaneous operation was planned and successfully concluded in this way to prevent the suspects from escaping and to prevent the destruction of evidence. In the raids, a large number of digital materials and physical money were seized, dealing a blow to the financial leg of the organized crime.

A total of 17 suspects, 16 men and 1 woman, were detained in the raids and their interrogations began. In the later hours of the operation and during continuing efforts, with the capture of 1 more suspect who was a fugitive, the number of suspects in custody rose to 18. During searches at the suspects' residences and hiding addresses, 24 mobile phones and 3 computers, believed to have been used in their activities, were seized. Additionally, assets evidencing material proof were seized during the searches, and 247 thousand 400 TL, 3 thousand 410 Euros, and 1570 US Dollars in cash were confiscated.

The most humane aspect of this successful operation carried out by the security forces was the safe rescue of 35 victim women who had been dragged into or forcibly held in the prostitution swamp. These women were directed to relevant units for health checks and psychosocial support. One of the 18 suspects detained within the scope of the operation was referred to the judiciary after the completion of their statements and procedures at the police station. The 18 suspects brought to the courthouse were referred to the duty criminal judge of peace after the questioning by the prosecutor's office. The evidence examination and detention requests were evaluated during the interrogation by the judge.

At the end of the trial process, a decision was made to detain and send 14 of the 18 suspects brought before the judge to prison. The judge approved the detention decision considering the nature and degree of the crime of these suspects, the state of evidence, and their flight risks. The other 4 suspects arrested within the scope of the operation were released subject to judicial control conditions such as a ban on traveling abroad and a signature obligation. It was announced that the detained suspects were claimed to be the managers and intermediaries of the prostitution gang, while the released suspects were discharged by imposing obligations regarding their activities. The investigation regarding the issue continues to be expanded with new criminal complaints and suspects.