Man charged with running crime organization with prison officials in Turkey

ISTANBUL

Raids conducted by Istanbul’s Directorate of Organized Crime teams at Istanbul’s Silivri, Kartal, Maltepe and Metris prisons. DHA photo

A crime organization operating from within a prison with the help of prison officials was uncovered by a series of police raids at four jails in Istanbul.

Raids conducted by Istanbul’s Directorate of Organized Crime teams on July 16 at Istanbul’s Silivri, Kartal, Maltepe and Metris prisons revealed a gang that was managed by bribing prison officials from within Kartal Prison, where the head of the organization, Ahmet D., is serving his sentence.

Ahmet D. bribed the managers and guards of the prison to be let out at night by the deputy manager and guards, gambled or went to Turkish night clubs called “gazino.” Ahmet D. bribed the managers by giving them gold worth between 5,000 and 10,000 Turkish Liras, expensive watches and handbags.

The crime organization Ahmet D. runs is allegedly involved in illegal acts such as intimidation, abduction, extortion, collection of bonds and smuggling cell phones, drugs, guns and blades into cells by bribing the prison officers.

Ahmet D. was detained two years ago in a trial on the smuggling of a winged seahorse brooch belonging to the Lydian Hoard dating back to the sixth century B.C. The brooch had been replaced with a replica at a museum in the inner Aegean province of Uşak and smuggled out of the country, later to be found in Germany. Ahmet D. was sentenced to six years on charges of participating in the arrangement of the smuggling.

A total of 15 prison officials, including four prison managers, eight guards and three medical officers were detained in the raids.