Customs Officials Arrested in Mersin Chain Operation
Following the successful operation carried out by the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch teams of the Provincial Police Department in Mersin, Turkey, on December 19, a total of 114 suspects were apprehended. However, the crackdown did not stop there, as 8 more suspects were subsequently detained in connection with the case.
Out of the 114 initial suspects, 10 were released after being processed at the police station. The remaining 112 individuals were taken to the courthouse and were referred to the criminal judgeship of peace with a request for arrest. The judgeship made the decision to arrest 24 customs officers and 67 customs consultants, which included the free zone customs director and deputy customs director. Additionally, 21 suspects were released on condition of judicial control.
A total of 91 suspects were ultimately sent to prison as a result of the investigation. Among those arrested were customs officers, consultants, and employees. Authorities seized a significant amount of illicit goods during the operation, including 128,500 Turkish liras, 40,355 US dollars, 42 grams of gold bullion, jewelry such as bracelets, belts, chains, and coins, as well as unlicensed firearms, cartridges, watches, and narcotic pills.
The operation shed light on a bribery scheme within the Mersin Customs Administration, where officials were found to be accepting bribes from business owners in exchange for various services. The investigation uncovered a systematic pattern of bribery tied to specific transactions, as well as instances where fixed fees were demanded for routine operations. The detained individuals will now face the legal consequences of their actions as the authorities continue to crack down on corruption within the customs sector.
