Nearly 400 crime rings eliminated in six months

ISTANBUL

Around 400 crime rings were busted across the country in the last six months of 2021, the country’s interior minister has said.

“From 15 July 2021 to the end of the year, a total of 390 mafia-type organizations, 33 of which are national, 15 are regional and 342 are local, have been destroyed across Turkey,” Süleyman Soylu said.

Speaking at a meeting on anti-smuggling and organized crime, the minister stressed that 14 leaders of international crime organizations who wanted to settle down in Turkey were “busted” and extradited to their countries.

“We are in a serious struggle with all structures in both national and international arena,” he added.

Recalling that the smuggling rate of contraband cigarettes in the whole tobacco market was 21 percent in 2014, Soylu stated that this rate has decreased to 2.1 percent today.

The minister said all of the profits from the sale of contraband cigarettes are going to the terrorist organization, referring to PKK.

Soylu also warned police forces not to turn a blind eye to refillable cigarette smuggling.