Turkish police detain dozens in operation against international betting gang
ISTANBUL
Turkish police have arrested dozens and detained many others in a large-scale operation against an illegal international betting gang which obtained $1.5 million. A total of 57 people were detained in the operation, as 39 were arrested, daily Habertürk reported on Sept. 14.The police determined that many of the members of the gang were abroad, including leaders Scott William Masterson and Veysel Şahin. According to five-month-long tracking efforts by the anti-smuggling police, Masterson and Şahin, who lead the gang based in the U.K., Turkey and Turkish Cyprus, were determined to be living in London. Masterson reportedly avoided detention in Turkey by holding meetings in customs-bonded areas.
The police will act to apprehend the fugitive suspects from the gang, including Masterson, who is one of the top managers of a legal betting company worth $400 billion in the U.K., Şahin and Şahin’s guard, Halil Falyalı, according to the report.
The Turkish Justice Ministry was preparing to send a file regarding the suspects abroad to Interpol’s Office of the Secretary General in France in order for a red notice to be issued.
Meanwhile, in the investigation carried out by the police, it was stated that youth in Turkey were becoming increasingly addicted to gambling. Some 2.5 million people bet online in Turkey and the majority of those were between the ages of 15 and 20, according to the investigation. Public service advertisements will be prepared as a precaution to deter people from gambling.
