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Within the scope of the “Mahzen-28” operation against gun smugglers, which was recently carried out in 11 provinces, including Mersin, many weapons, ammunition and gun parts were seized, and 41 suspects were caught during the raids.
The suspects, who were accused of illegal arms production and trade, transferring large amounts of weapons whole or in parts to other people, and supplying weapons to organized gangs and drug dealers for profit, were referred to the Anatolian Palace of Justice in Kartal yesterday after their procedures at the police station. While 20 of the suspects who were brought to court were released on condition of judicial control, 21 suspects, including the owner of the arms factory, Mustafa K., were arrested and sent to prison.
BACKGROUND OF THE EVENT
The “Mazen-28” operation was carried out simultaneously in 11 provinces centered in Istanbul on April 18, by teams of the Istanbul Organized Crime Branch Directorate, against criminal networks engaged in illegal arms production and arms smuggling. 41 suspects were caught and detained in the operation carried out within the scope of the investigation carried out by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. While the weapons and ammunition seized from the operation announced by the Minister of Internal Affairs Ali Yerlikaya last Thursday were exhibited at the Istanbul Police Department yesterday, striking details about the investigation emerged.
THE INVESTIGATION WAS DEEPENED WHEN SIMILAR BRAND WEAPONS WERE FOUND IN THE ATTACK IN WHICH POLICE WAS MARTYRED
Police officer Hakan Telli, who was attacked during the operation against drug gangs in Kağıthane, Istanbul, on August 25, 2023, was martyred. Istanbul police, who carried out serial operations after the attack, captured 39 suspects and seized many weapons during searches of their homes and workplaces. Units affiliated with the Istanbul Organized Crime Branch, which tracked the weapons seized at that time, received intelligence that some of the weapons were produced illegally in a legal factory. It was revealed that the weapons, which were found to be produced in workshops belonging to a company in Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya, were marketed to gangs and underground organizations. Continuing efforts to trace the gun of the brand in question, which was seized during the martyrdom of Hakan Telli, led the police to the “Mahzen-28” operation, and it was determined that the guns in question were produced illegally in several factories.
ILLEGAL WEAPONS TRADE HAS BEEN EXPOSED
Within the scope of the investigation, 3 long-barreled rifles, 236 automatic weapons, 340 automatic weapon parts, 251 gun upper bodies, 287 stocks, 2 thousand 572 barrels and 110 magazines, 1,017 pistols, 190 pistol upper bolt sets, 682 pistol barrels, 2 thousand 5 The operation in which the gun body, 827 bolts, 153 grips and 435 gun serial apparatus, gun molds, 5 thousand bullets of various calibers, 200 thousand liras considered to have been obtained from crime and many gun parts were seized in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Düzce, Eskişehir, Kocaeli. It was held in Mersin, Sakarya, Samsun, Trabzon and Yalova.
The suspects, whose interrogations were completed and sent to the courthouse this morning, are accused of illegal arms production and trade, transferring large amounts of weapons whole and in parts to other people, and supplying weapons to organized gangs and drug dealers for profit.
