Istanbul police nab Interpol-wanted drug smuggler

ISTANBUL

Turkish police has apprehended Isaac Bignan, known as the “Black Mamba,” who is the right-hand man of Dutch drug baron Joseph Johannes Leijdekkers and wanted by Interpol with a red notice, as he was attempting to flee from the northwestern province of Muğla.

On June 13, the Istanbul police conducted an operation targeting suspects involved in laundering Leijdekkers’ money. As the narcotics teams discovered that Bignan was in Türkiye, the senior member of the cartel had started making escape plans following the previous operation.

The teams intensified their efforts and organized a separate operation targeting Bignan and those who were assisting him in his escape. In the latest operation, Jurean Anthony Finix, a Dutch national also wanted with a red notice and identified as one of the cartel’s members, was apprehended along with three other individuals.

A significant amount of digital material and fake passports were seized during the searches conducted at Finix’s residence. Through their investigations, the teams determined that Finix had come to Türkiye to help Bignan escape.

After further examination, the teams determined that Bignan was hiding with his wife in the district of Fethiye in Muğla. Learning that Bignan and his accomplices were planning to escape overseas by yacht from there, the teams initiated an operation on June 25 to apprehend the suspect.

Detecting that Bignan went to the neighboring province of Isparta, the police raided the suspects in the city. In the raid, Bignan and the other members of the cartel were caught. Seven suspects, including Bignan, were arrested and sent to prison in Istanbul.