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World / Europe

Turkiye detains 56 Interpol suspects

Published: 03 Jan 2024 - 11:56 am | Last Updated: 03 Jan 2024 - 12:02 pm
Screen grab of arrests video shared by the Minister

Screen grab of arrests video shared by the Minister

AFP

Istanbul: Turkiye said Wednesday it had detained 56 high-priority suspects wanted by 18 countries for crimes ranging from drug dealing and money laundering to murder, counterfeiting and assault.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the suspects were listed on Interpol's "red notice" on "diffusion message" systems, which flag suspects sought for arrest and extradition by individual countries.

The detained people were wanted in the United States, Germany, India, and several former Soviet republics as well as other parts of Asia and the Middle East.

Yerlikaya's office did not disclose names, noting only that the suspects were rounded up in coordinated security sweeps across 11 provinces, including Istanbul.

The Turkish interior ministry and MIT intelligence service have announced a rapid series of high-profile raids in recent weeks.

They announced the detention of more than 200 people allegedly linked to Islamic State group jihadists in two separate series of raids ahead of New Year celebrations.

They announced the detention of 34 people accused of spying for Israel on Tuesday.