91 Suspects Arrested in Mersin Sting Operation
A total of 91 suspects were arrested in the Zincir operation conducted in Mersin, Turkey. This operation follows the initial detention of 114 suspects by the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch teams of the Provincial Police Department on December 19. Under the coordination of the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, 8 more suspects were detained, with 10 suspects released after being processed at the police station.
The remaining 112 suspects were taken to the courthouse and referred to the criminal judgeship of peace with a request for arrest. The judgeship decided to arrest 24 customs officers and 67 customs consultants, including the free zone customs director and the deputy customs director. Additionally, 21 suspects were released on condition of judicial control, while the 91 arrested suspects were sent to prison.
The “Chain” operation targeted Mersin Customs Administration employees and uncovered a bribery scheme involving officials operating at Mersin International Port. The investigation revealed that customs consultants and their employees were receiving bribes from business owners for each transaction. The bribe amounts were tied to specific tariffs and routines, with fixed fees for regular transactions and foreign currency bribes for irregular ones.
During the operation, customs officers, consultants, and employees were detained, and authorities seized a significant amount of illegal goods, including cash, gold, jewelry, firearms, ammunition, watches, and narcotics. The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed the success of the operation and emphasized the government’s commitment to combating corruption and illegal activities in customs operations.
As investigations continue, more details are expected to emerge regarding the extent of the bribery scheme and the involvement of other individuals in the illegal activities uncovered during the Zincir operation in Mersin.
