İstanbul, Turkey – In a sweeping operation targeting fraud, the Turkish Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, announced that authorities have apprehended 88 suspects across 19 provinces. The “KNOT-1” operations addressed sophisticated fraud schemes and resulted in the arrest of individuals accused of deceiving 1,748 victims.
Minister Yerlikaya took to social media to emphasize the commitment of law enforcement to curbing fraud. “Our esteemed nation should know: we are closely monitoring those who deceive our people in various ways. We won’t give them a chance to act!” he stated.
The operations, conducted under the coordination of the General Directorate of Security’s Public Order Branch, spanned multiple regions including Mersin, Kahramanmaraş, Erzurum, Samsun, Nevşehir, and Balıkesir. Specific details of the arrests and the criminal activities included:
Mersin:
57 suspects were apprehended for using fraudulent sale tactics like the “bait and switch” method and fake product listings on social media. Authorities seized approximately 100 million TL in assets, including 37 luxury vehicles, 17 property deeds, 7 company shares, and 142 bank and crypto accounts.
Kahramanmaraş:
9 suspects were arrested for creating an organized crime ring, engaging in qualified fraud, and using fake documents in Gaziantep. The perpetrators provided false payment receipts to vehicle sellers and resold the vehicles at lower prices.
Erzurum:
9 suspects were detained for using the bait and switch method in vehicle sales and impersonating public officials in operations conducted in Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, Adana, İzmir, and Mersin.
Samsun:
8 suspects were caught in Istanbul for creating fake websites to post advertisements for bungalows, prefabricated houses, container homes, and motorcycles, resulting in illegal earnings.
Nevşehir:
2 suspects were arrested in Muğla for fraudulently selling properties through a real estate company without delivering the properties to multiple buyers.
Balıkesir:
3 suspects were apprehended in Manisa and Izmir for convincing victims they were relatives needing immediate funds due to car accidents occurring abroad.
The operations also led to the seizure of numerous weapons and digital devices, including 10 unlicensed pistols, 2 blank-firing guns, 2 unlicensed pump rifles, and multiple computers, phones, SIM cards, and portable memory devices, along with a considerable amount of foreign and Turkish currency.
Minister Yerlikaya concluded by commending the officers involved, stating, “I congratulate our heroic police officers for these successful operations. May God protect you. The prayers of our nation are with you.”