Istanbul police bust international drug cartel
ISTANBUL
The Istanbul police have apprehended a Croatian criminal, the so-called overseer responsible for the flow of an international drug cartel in the Balkan countries, in the city's Beşiktaş district, a day after the cartel's leader, sought by Interpol with a red notice, was captured in Üsküdar.
The investigation revealed that the cartel played a pivotal role in facilitating the procurement of cocaine from South America, collaborating with drug cartels in Europe, establishing connections with criminal organizations in South America, and playing a significant role in money laundering stemming from illicit activities.
Christijan Palic, a Croatian national identified as one of the leaders of the "Western Balkan Wing," was subject to an Interpol Blue Notice issued by European countries and Brazil within the scope of drug operations in Europe. The police captured Palic in Beşiktaş on Nov. 19.
The leader of the cartel, Nenad Petrak, was also apprehended in Üsküdar in a large-scale operation on Nov. 18 by the Istanbul police as a result of an international operation and cooperation lasting more than two years.
The unraveling of Petrak's drug network, spanning nine countries, began in September 2020 with the seizure of 34 million euros worth of cocaine on a sailing boat in the Atlantic Ocean, according to a report by the daily Hürriyet.
Following the identification of addresses and identities of Petrak's cartel members, the Interpol-coordinated "Adriatica Operation" was launched across Europe in recent months. While Petrak remained elusive, many of his associates were apprehended and incarcerated. Petrak, implicated in a murder in Croatia, was also subject to a red notice by Interpol in connection with this crime.
After the commencement of the "Adriatica Operation," it was determined that Petrak had fled from Croatia. Upon obtaining information on his escape to Türkiye, the Turkish police took action.
Based on Interpol-derived intelligence, the security forces discovered that Petrak had arrived in Istanbul and was staying in a residence in Üsküdar.
With a raid on the residence conducted with the support of special operations police, Petrak was apprehended in the room where he was staying, brought to his knees and handcuffed. Subsequent searches in Petrak's room led to the seizure of a substantial amount of money.
Petrak was the eighth cartel leader who was wanted by Interpol and apprehended in Istanbul, the daily reported.
