Interior Minister Çiftçi: 22 wanted by Interpol arrested in Georgia, 11 extradited to Türkiye

A joint Turkish-Georgian operation arrested 22 people sought by Türkiye under Interpol red notices, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said.

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No country should be a safe haven for criminals who threaten another country’s security.

Çiftçi said police forces from the two countries carried out the operation. Eleven of those detained have already been extradited to Türkiye. The remaining 11 are serving prison sentences in Georgia for crimes committed there and will be returned after completing those sentences.

The minister used the announcement to issue a broader warning to people who leave Türkiye after committing crimes. “No country should be a safe haven for criminals who threaten another country’s security,” he said.

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Those who commit crimes in our country and flee abroad should not think they can escape Turkish justice by taking refuge in other countries.

“Those who commit crimes in our country and flee abroad should not think they can escape Turkish justice by taking refuge in other countries,” Çiftçi added. “Wherever they go in the world, whichever country they flee to, we will follow them, catch them and hand them over to Turkish justice.”

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Wherever they go in the world, whichever country they flee to, we will follow them, catch them and hand them over to Turkish justice.