Türkiye has extradited 54 wanted suspects from 12 countries as part of its ongoing efforts to bring fugitives accused of serious crimes back to face justice, the Interior Ministry said Friday.
In a statement shared on social media, the ministry said 29 of the suspects had been sought internationally through Interpol red notices, while another 25 were wanted at the national level.
The operation was coordinated by the General Directorate of Security's Interpol-Europol Department in cooperation with the Justice Ministry, as well as the police's anti-smuggling and organized crime, intelligence, narcotics, cybercrime, public security and counterterrorism units.
Authorities said the suspects had fled abroad but were tracked through close cooperation with law enforcement agencies in the countries where they were located.
According to the ministry, 38 suspects were extradited from Georgia, five from Germany and two from Azerbaijan. One suspect each was returned from Bulgaria, Austria, Ecuador, France, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Greece and North Macedonia.
The extradited individuals include members of organized crime groups as well as suspects accused of drug trafficking and other serious offenses, the ministry said.
The Interior Ministry did not disclose the specific charges against each suspect but said all had outstanding arrest warrants issued by Turkish authorities.
"We will continue to capture and bring back members of organized crime groups and drug traffickers whom we are seeking through red notices and national warrants," the ministry said.
Türkiye has stepped up international cooperation in recent years to locate and return fugitives wanted for organized crime, terrorism, narcotics offenses and other serious crimes.
