Italian prosecutors hold Istanbul talks on notorious Turkish gang

ISTANBUL

An Italian delegation of prosecutors and high-level law enforcement officials engaged in high-level talks with counterparts in Istanbul to discuss an ongoing legal process regarding a notorious Turkish criminal syndicate, local media has reported.

The gang, led by Barış Boyun who is currently imprisoned in Italy, has been at the center of multiple high-profile armed assaults, often executed with motorcycles for swift maneuverability.

Despite fleeing abroad to evade capture, Boyun had continued orchestrating his criminal enterprise and directing attacks remotely.

Talks between Turkish and Italian authorities began last year following his arrest in Italy.

In September 2024, a team including a prosecutor specializing in organized crime, officers from Türkiye’s police department’s anti-smuggling and organized crime bureau and Interpol officials traveled to Rome.

There, they met with chief prosecutors from Rome, Milan and Catanzaro, as well as senior Italian law enforcement officials. The Turkish delegation provided intelligence on Boyun’s criminal network, while their Italian counterparts shared details about his capture and their ongoing investigation.

Although Türkiye’s initial extradition request was rebuffed, the persistence of Turkish judicial authorities led to renewed diplomatic overtures.

In response, an Italian delegation, headed by Milan Deputy Chief Prosecutor Bruna Albertini, recently convened in Istanbul, daily Hürriyet reported on Feb. 16.

The delegation also included Catanzaro Prosecutor Paolo Sirleo, who has been spearheading the Boyun case in Italy, along with elite officers specializing in combatting organized crime.

Talks took place at the Çağlayan Courthouse in Istanbul in late January, the daily said.

The Italian delegation sought an exhaustive comprehension of the Boyun syndicate, inquiring about the persistence of Türkiye for his extradition and the hierarchical stature of his syndicate within the criminal underworld.

In response, Turkish officials delivered a detailed presentation on the gang’s structure, criminal activities financial operations and recruitment methods.

They emphasized that Boyun is facing multiple charges in Türkiye, including murder, extortion, drug trafficking and arms smuggling.

Italian authorities also shared intelligence on Boyun’s international financial operations and transactions with associates in Turkey and beyond. Documents and other evidence gathered by Italian investigators were also presented.

Shortly after the delegation’s visit, a message was sent via diplomatic channels from the Italian judiciary to the Turkish Justice Ministry.

The letter stated that the request was being reconsidered and that Italian authorities now viewed it “positively,” according to the daily.

The matter was also discussed last week in the capital Ankara during a meeting between Turkish Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç and his Italian counterpart, Carlo Nordio. A final decision from Italy is expected soon.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office describes Boyun’s organization as a “new-generation mafia,” noting its reliance on social media to recruit young members — who are then deployed as expendable assets, akin to “kamikaze drones,” in high-risk criminal operations.