Police raid İzmir municipality, 42 detained

Police raided the offices of İzmir municipality today, detaining 42 people in a corruption probe that was launched in May.

Offices in the Aegean province were raided earlier in May, during which time documents were seized by a prosecutor. Officials examining the documents said they found evidence of corruption.

The İzmir Prosecutor's Office acted on the report and ordered the detention of 42 people on the grounds of membership in a criminal organization, rigging state tenders, accepting bribes, embezzlement, forging official documents, abuse of office and a number of other charges.

Five people were sent to a court after questioning at a police station while the remaining 37 suspects were still waiting for questioning, according to reports.

İzmir municipality is run by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

After learning of the raids, Mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu said he would immediately return from Paris, where he was campaigning for İzmir's bid to host EXPO 2020.