Turkish authorities reported the completion of Operation Cell-23, during which several organized crime groups that specialized in attacks and robberies of tourists were defeated.
“During events that took place simultaneously in 13 provinces and mainly in Istanbul, five local criminal groups were neutralized, 93 suspects were detained for committing crimes against 133 individuals, including 93 foreign citizens,” X (formerly Twitter) wrote on the social network. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. Severe checks and detentions took place in several establishments in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul, popular with tourists.
“Members of the organization met foreign tourists, offered to take photographs, then took them to entertainment venues and forced them to pay bills. After that, they searched me, and took away money, mobile phones, and jewelry,” Yerlikai spoke about the scheme of deception and extortion. If one of the tourists refused, he was severely beaten.
Now the criminals face decent prison sentences.
In November, in Istanbul, police neutralized a group of scammers who were deceiving foreign tourists by posing as police officers.