Türkiye announced the successful capture of Shaun Monaghan, the leader of a British gang engaged in drug smuggling, illegal firearms trade and robbery, following an operation conducted in Istanbul Wednesday.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the apprehension of Monaghan, who was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice. Monaghan, identified as the leader of a criminal outfit operating in northeast England, had arrived in Türkiye in October.
The Interpol notice was issued on Tuesday, leading to Turkish authorities locating and arresting him in Istanbul's Fatih district.
Footage released by the Interior Ministry depicted narcotics police apprehending a man in a hotel room. Yerlikaya detailed that Monaghan's gang was actively involved in the distribution of cocaine and heroin, along with participating in armed robberies, as shared on the social media platform X.
This operation marks the latest in a series of crackdowns targeting international organized crime syndicates. Last month, Yerlikaya announced Türkiye's capture of Hakan Ayik, a high-profile fugitive wanted in Australia for drug smuggling, alongside 36 other individuals involved in an international organized crime network pursued by the United States and New Zealand authorities.
Moreover, Yerlikaya revealed that Turkish police recently apprehended Shamil Amirov, a prominent figure associated with an organized crime group named "Thieves in Law," operating primarily in Russia. These successive operations underscore Türkiye's commitment to combating transnational criminal activities and dismantling international criminal networks.
