Operation against billion-Lira fraud network in 6 provinces centered in Diyarbakır: 27 detained

Simultaneous operations in six different provinces, centered in Diyarbakır, aimed at dismantling an organized crime organization accused of systematically defrauding citizens by using the names and reputations of public institutions. Under the coordination of the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and as a result of the joint work of the Department of Combatting Smuggling and Organized Crime (KOM) and Security Departments of the Gendarmerie General Command, the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), and the Gendarmerie Crime Investigation Teams (JASAT), a total of 27 suspects were detained in the planned raids. In the details of the operations, revealing the scale of the organization's fraudulent activities and network structure, numerous digital and physical evidence were seized during the operations carried out by the security forces at the addresses.

Information obtained during the investigation revealed that the suspects attempted to give the impression of a legal structure by presenting themselves as civil society organizations appearing as associations, federations, or confederations. It was determined that the suspects operating through this structure made promises to victims such as job placement in public institutions, out-of-lot housing allocation from housing projects carried out by TOKİ, obtaining gun licenses, cancellation of traffic fines, and expediting exit procedures for abroad. It was determined that the organization members, who abused the citizens' trust in state institutions, collected money from thousands of people despite not having the power to fulfill the said requests.

Detailed financial analysis and bank account movement analysis made by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) revealed that the scale of the fund flow made by the suspects was shocking. In the examinations made on the accounts belonging to the suspects, a money movement of approximately 1 billion Turkish Liras was detected, and this figure proved that the organization was not just a few transactions but was within a large and organized financial network. Officials emphasized that the detected high transaction volume indicated how wide the field of activity of the crime organization was and how long it had been continuing these illegal activities.

In the official statement made by the Ministry of Interior after the operation, a strong message was given, stating that the fight against such organized crime organizations targeting the safety and assets of the people would continue without interruption and with determination. In the announcement made by the Ministry, it was stated that "No crime and no criminal will go unpunished," and it was noted that fraud networks would be pursued within the framework of the rule of law principle until they were eliminated, and necessary steps would be taken. It was expressed that such operations were of great importance to prevent citizens from acting with greed for easy profit and to raise awareness.

It was learned that the proceedings of the 27 detained suspects continue at the courthouses in Diyarbakır and surrounding provinces, and the investigation is being deepened in a multi-faceted manner. The prosecutor's office conducting the investigation is evaluating the requests for the detention of the suspects to be sent to the court, while the decryption of the seized documents and data and the identification of the victims who suffered harm from the crime are continuing at full speed. Following the news of the incident, it was reported that many victims shared their own stories regarding the structures belonging to the organization via social media and news channels and applied to the prosecutor's offices with claims of being defrauded.