Turkey arrests 80 in massive illegal betting money laundering operation

Turkish authorities have conducted a large-scale operation across 24 provinces, arresting 80 suspects in connection with laundering money generated from illegal betting activities. The operation, coordinated by the Istanbul Provincial Police Department's Financial Crimes Branch, targeted a criminal network allegedly led by a suspect identified as İ.Ö.Ö.

According to findings from the Financial Crimes Investigation Council (MASAK), the network generated income from fixed-match betting and both legal and illegal betting operations. The laundered funds were reportedly transferred through cryptocurrency wallets, ultimately reaching unidentified user accounts. Investigations revealed that individuals involved in the foreign exchange and jewelry sectors were part of this illicit network, which handled a total transaction volume estimated at 192 billion lira.

During simultaneous raids conducted early this morning, police seized assets valued at approximately 350 million lira. These seizures included 11 companies, 45 vehicles, 16 residences, and 11 plots of land. Additionally, bank accounts and cryptocurrency holdings belonging to the suspects have been blocked as part of the ongoing investigation.