Turkish police launch operation against hidden camera sellers in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Istanbul police have launched an operation against hidden camera sellers in the Şişli and Fatih districts of the city. 

Anti-smuggling police determined several businesses selling the cameras, which were brought to Turkey illegally, and conducted operations, Doğan News Agency reported on June 6. 

According to the authorities, the business owners hid the cameras, which the use of is outlawed in Turkey, inside a number of objects including toys, glasses, watches, pens, fire and smoke detectors, car keys, lamps, satellite receivers and air-fresheners. 

In the operation launched against seven businesses on June 1, administrative action was taken against those selling the hidden cameras for between 200 and 700 Turkish Liras. 

Police confiscated all the objects with cameras hidden in them. 

Police also examined the customer portfolio of the raided businesses and found that the objects confiscated were mostly bought in order to track other people. 

Buyers of the cameras are often people aiming to track their spouses, as well as other individuals they want to monitor from a distance with the help of computers. In addition, criminal gangs often use such devices for blackmailing purposes, while parents who want to track their babysitters also sometimes use hidden cameras. 

The devices confiscated by police included devices with the ability to do instant recording, the authorities stated.