Int'l crime leader, associates captured in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Turkish authorities have announced the capture of Hakan Ayık, a notorious criminal on the most wanted list in Australia, and 36 individuals affiliated with his criminal organization, Comanchero.

The gang led by Ayık was involved in a wide range of crimes — including drug trafficking, murder, armed robbery, arson, kidnapping and global money laundering, Interior Minister Yerlikaya revealed in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

The international crime syndicate had been on the radar of authorities in Australia, the United States and New Zealand, the minister said.

Ayık, commonly known as the "Facebook Gangster" in Australia, has been a fugitive for over a decade in the state of New South Wales. Previous crimes primarily revolved around the large-scale distribution of drugs.

His notoriety grew due to his flaunting of wealth and lavish lifestyle on social media platforms, particularly on Facebook.

According to Yerlikaya, the Comanchero gang was involved in a sophisticated drug trafficking network, attempting to transport narcotics from South America to Australia, the Netherlands and Hong Kong via South Korea and South Africa.

The organization also engaged in extensive global money laundering activities in Türkiye, he said.

Turkish authorities seized assets worth approximately 4.5 billion Turkish Liras ($158.4 million) belonging to 55 individuals, as per reports from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK).

The son of a Turkish immigrant family in Sydney, he had been under surveillance by Australian authorities since 2005.