Three police officers arrested amid organized crime probe

ANKARA

Seven suspects, including two senior police chiefs and a commissioner, have been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into a criminal organization in the capital Ankara.

The arrests stem from allegations made by Serdar Sertçelik, a fugitive defendant connected to a criminal organization led by Ayhan Bora Kaplan.

The chief public prosecutor's office in Ankara launched the investigation, which has since expanded to include accusations of attempts to influence witnesses, reveal job-related secrets and favoritism within the criminal network.

The initial suspects included high-ranking police officials Murat Çelik, the deputy provincial police chief in charge of combating organized crime, Kerem Gökay Öner, the branch manager overseeing organized crime investigations and Şevket Demircan, the deputy head of the organized crime branch. Öner was later released, but the others remain in custody.

Local media reports indicate that the investigation's focus has shifted towards uncovering the extent of the police officers' involvement in the criminal activities, particularly their alleged attempts to manipulate the legal process.

In the wake of Sertçelik's allegations, the number of detentions related to the investigation increased to eight last week. The latest round of arrests included three civilians and a police commissioner apprehended in Ankara.

The prosecutor's office noted that procedures for one suspect at the police station were ongoing.

Kaplan, previously known to law enforcement, was apprehended last September at Ankara's Esenboğa Airport while attempting to flee the country.

The investigation into the group's activities encompasses a wide range of allegations, including the establishment of a criminal network, intentional injury and deprivation of liberty.