Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya Announces 86 Detained in Nationwide “SİBERAĞ-4” Operations Against Cyber Crimes

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya Announces 86 Detained in Nationwide “SİBERAĞ-4” Operations Against Cyber Crimes

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced that 86 suspects have been detained across 26 provinces during the “SİBERAĞ-4” operations conducted by the Gendarmerie targeting “Qualified Theft and Fraud, Misuse of Bank or Credit Cards, Illegal Betting, and Online Child Pornography” crimes.

Investigations revealed that the suspects had transactions amounting to 91 million 400 thousand TL in their accounts. Minister Yerlikaya emphasized the ongoing and resolute fight against crime and criminals both on land and in cyberspace, stating: “Our struggle against crime and criminals continues 24/7 in the Cyber Homeland, just as it does in the Black Homeland!”

The operations were coordinated by the Gendarmerie General Command’s Cyber Crimes Department and the Provincial Gendarmerie Commands. The Provincial Gendarmerie Commands’ Cyber Crimes Branch Directorates conducted operations in Samsun, Ardahan, Erzurum, Ankara, Antalya, Tekirdağ, and Gaziantep. These operations resulted in the detention of 36 suspects who were found to have defrauded citizens via social media applications by promising various services such as ministry aid, easy driver’s licenses, air conditioner sales, money transfers via cargo, and cheap vacations.

Further operations in Aydın and Tekirdağ by the Cyber Crimes Branch Directorates led to the detention of 11 suspects who were advertising illegal betting on social media platforms and encouraging illegal gambling.

In Istanbul, an operation by the Provincial Gendarmerie Command’s Cyber Crimes Branch Directorate resulted in the detention of 3 suspects who were offering personal data inquiry services via the internet for a fee.

Additional operations were conducted in Afyonkarahisar, Aydın, Antalya, Kahramanmaraş, Burdur, Yozgat, Eskişehir, Mersin, Adıyaman, Kayseri, Kars, Muğla, Balıkesir, Düzce, Sakarya, Kastamonu, Zonguldak, and Manisa. These operations led to the detention of 36 suspects found to be storing and distributing obscene images of children and adults.

As a result of the operations, numerous unlicensed firearms, computers, fake licenses, and digital materials were seized.

Minister Yerlikaya concluded by praising the heroic efforts of the Gendarmerie, stating, “I congratulate our heroic Gendarmerie for their successful operations. May God protect them, and may the prayers of our nation be with them.”

Post shared on social media with further details: pic.twitter.com/7x4t0YqZ9g – Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) August 5, 2024