Dismantling 552 Networks and Arresting Thousands in Turkey’s Crackdown on Organized Crime
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya revealed the dismantling of 552 criminal networks and the arrest of 6,788 of their members since the beginning of this year, as part of the government’s ongoing campaign against organized crime.
Yerlikaya made the remarks during a meeting of the Parliamentary Planning and Budget Committee on November 17, where the 2026 budget of the Interior Ministry was being discussed. He presented detailed statistics on the security operations carried out throughout the year and their outcomes.
The minister noted that authorities seized assets worth an estimated 76 billion lira linked to these criminal networks during the same period, stressing that cutting off the financial roots of crime is a strategic priority for his ministry.
The security operations were marked by extensive coordination between units combatting smuggling, drug trafficking, and cybercrime, reflecting a fight against organized crime that spans digital, financial, and logistical fronts.
Yerlikaya also disclosed that 395 foreign nationals were detained inside Turkey, including 305 individuals listed on Interpol notices — a sign of close cooperation with international security agencies.
Additionally, 279 wanted suspects were extradited or returned to Turkey after being pursued abroad, while arrest warrants were issued for 1,035 others whose locations had been identified outside the country. According to the minister, enhanced intelligence sharing and intensified joint operations are strengthening the security of both Turkey and its regional partners.
The interior minister announced an allocation of nearly 1.4 trillion lira (more than $33 billion) for the ministry in the 2026 budget — amounting to 8.56% of the national budget. This unprecedented share, he said, reflects the government’s prioritization of security in the coming year.
