Justice Minister Akın Gürlek has asked Greece to extradite three suspects wanted by Türkiye, including the alleged leader of the Bayğaralar organized crime group, during talks with his Greek counterpart, Yorgos Floridis.
Gürlek raised the cases of Ramazan Bayğara, Nedim Sorguç and Ali Yeşildağ during the meeting on Tuesday, stressing the need for stronger judicial cooperation between the neighboring countries in combating transnational organized crime.
Floridis said Greek judicial authorities had approved the extradition of all three suspects and that the Greek government had endorsed the decisions. However, the extraditions of Bayğara and Sorguç have been suspended because of interim measures issued by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), he said.
Bayğara, identified by Turkish authorities as the leader of the Bayğaralar crime group, was detained in Greece while being sought internationally under an Interpol Red Notice for allegedly establishing a criminal organization and intentional homicide.
Turkish judicial authorities subsequently requested his extradition.
Sorguç is also wanted under a Red Notice on charges of membership in a criminal organization and drug trafficking. His transfer to Türkiye had been scheduled for Aug. 20, but was halted following an application to the ECtHR, Gürlek said.
The minister also raised the case of Yeşildağ, whose extradition Türkiye is seeking on charges of intentional homicide and armed robbery involving multiple perpetrators.
Gürlek said transnational organized crime had become an increasingly important area of cooperation between Türkiye and Greece as criminal groups expand their operations across borders.
He said such organizations increasingly use technology and social media to recruit young people and engage in crimes ranging from drug trafficking and money laundering to homicide, robbery and threats.
Türkiye has issued a circular to chief public prosecutors' offices at 75 heavy penal court centers across the country's 81 provinces as part of efforts to accelerate and better coordinate investigations into organized crime groups, Gürlek said.
He stressed that the international networks of organized crime groups meant authorities could not effectively combat them solely within national borders.
“These organizations pose a serious threat not only to our country but also to public order and public security in the countries where they operate,” Gürlek noted, emphasizing the importance of mutual judicial cooperation.
Gürlek thanked Greek judicial authorities for their cooperation and said Türkiye would show the same sensitivity toward extradition requests submitted by Athens.
He also invited Floridis to an International Justice Summit scheduled for Oct. 8-9 in Istanbul.
