«Esteemed nation, today in Alanya and Istanbul we arrested three gang leaders who were wanted internationally,» Ali Yerlikaya announced on Tuesday (December 19) on social media. «No matter how powerful these gangs are, no matter what arrest warrants are out for them, we will stop them,» said the Turkish interior minister.
Since he took office in June, hardly a day has gone by without the announcement of the arrest of a dangerous criminal—whether drug traffickers, loan sharks, human traffickers, or thieves—or even high-ranking members of international gangs who have been living in Turkey in recent years.
Thomas Joseph K., the leader of a major Polish drug trafficking network, Daniel Alexander M., who had been linked to a one-metric-ton shipment of cocaine found in Germany, and P. Jin-King, the head of a Chinese fraud ring, as Interior Minister Yerlikaya reported to X. Just last week, he had announced the arrests of three more gang leaders with Belgian-British, Vietnamese, and Arab backgrounds.
About a month ago, Yirlikaya also announced that Turkish police had arrested all the leaders of the Comanchero, an international criminal gang. Among those arrested were several members from Australia and New Zealand who were wanted by Interpol on international arrest warrants.
Why do criminals choose Turkey?;
For quite some time now, there have been signs that international gangs are operating in Turkey: shootings, murders, as well as investigative reports by various journalists.
In any case, before Yerlikaya took office, there had been neither serious investigations nor prosecutions against these gangs, because former Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu maintained close ties with the mafia. During his tenure, leading figures of the mafia and the Turkish underworld were set free, with the result that Turkey effectively became a safe haven for international criminals, primarily from Serbia, Albania, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Montenegro. This is confirmed by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) in response to a related question from DW.
Raids by Turkish authorities helped gather photographs and documents related to kidnappings, torture, and murders, revealing how such gangs operate from Spain to Turkey.
Flexible Laws and Golden Passports
Why Turkey has become a second home for criminals in recent years, Experts attribute this to four reasons. First, anti-money laundering legislation is very lenient. Second, almost every year the government grants amnesty to financial criminals. Third, people from many countries are allowed to travel there without needing a visa. And fourth, a wealthy individual can obtain Turkish citizenship immediately. Anyone who invests $500,000 in Turkey or deposits that amount in a bank for three years, or if they purchase real estate worth $400,000, can obtain Turkish citizenship. According to Christine Surak of the London School of Economics and Political Science, who recently authored a book on these so-called «golden passports,» approximately 50,000 people acquire citizenship in another country in this way each year. About half of these ’golden passports« are issued by Ankara.
Leaders of international criminal organizations may also obtain Turkish citizenship if they meet any of the above conditions and if no arrest warrant has been issued against them by Interpol. Furkan Sezer, former head of the financial crimes division of the Istanbul police, points out that many criminals first obtain citizenship and then bring their assets into the country —a process made easy by the amnesty granted by the Turkish government, which allows individuals and legal entities to declare their undeclared assets to the tax authorities without, in many cases, having to pay tax on them.
Thus, money of unknown origin circulates within the legitimate financial system. Ozan Bingol, an expert in tax law, criticizes this situation. «Usually, when laundering money, criminals pay 15%-20% of the value.» However, the Turkish government provides them with this opportunity without requiring them to pay taxes. The expert believes that this practice throws the door wide open to criminals, adding that the authorities lack sufficient powers to combat money laundering. «If someone suddenly shows up today with a million dollars, the authorities are not allowed to ask where they got the money,» he explains.
There are similar loopholes in the law regarding investments in cryptocurrencies, a fact that also attracts international criminal gangs to Turkey. According to Bingol, these investments should be regulated as soon as possible.
Turkey on the gray list
The International Institute Against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (FAFT) also notes that Ankara must adopt a stricter stance toward money laundering. Two years ago, the FATF placed Turkey on its so-called “gray list,” and since then, the country has been under closer scrutiny. Ankara wants to be removed from this list during the next review, which is expected to take place next June. And all of this is happening during an already difficult period for the Turkish economy: the unconventional policy of low interest rates of President Erdogan has plunged the country into a crisis, with the Turkish lira steadily losing value over the years, while Inflation is rising more and more – It recently reached 61%. Furthermore, Erdogan’s interference in monetary policy and the judiciary has also served as a deterrent for many foreign investors.
But that is exactly what the country needs. The new Minister of Finance, Mehmet Simsek, is now seeking to attract international investment to the country once again. To restore confidence in Turkey, however, everyone must do their job effectively. Not only Simsek, but also Interior Minister Yerlikaya in the fight against organized crime.
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Edited by: George Passas
