Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that Sinan Memi, one of the senior leaders of the "Daltonlar" organized crime group, who was wanted with a red notice, was brought to Türkiye from Poland, while drug trafficker Atakan Avcı was extradited from Bulgaria.
In a social media post with the note "You cannot escape from the Turkish police," Minister Yerlikaya stated: "I want our dear nation to know that no matter how big they are or which country they flee to, we will catch members of organized crime groups and drug traffickers one by one and bring them back to our country. They cannot escape from us."
Yerlikaya explained that Sinan Memi was extradited from Poland and Atakan Avcı from Bulgaria and were transferred to Ankara by a Gendarmerie General Command Aviation Department aircraft. The operation was coordinated by the General Directorate of Security (EGM) Aviation Department and carried out with personnel from the EGM Special Operations Department to hand them over to judicial authorities.
He added: "Sinan Memi, a senior leader of the Daltonlar organized crime group, was wanted nationally for three years with a red notice for 20 arrest warrants related to 10 different crimes, including 'establishing a criminal organization, premeditated murder, drug trafficking, and promoting terrorism.' Additionally, he was internationally wanted for one year for 'premeditated murder and attempted murder.'"
Atakan Avcı, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison in Türkiye for "importing narcotic or stimulant substances," had been internationally wanted for one year for extradition. Their arrests in Poland and Bulgaria were made possible through joint efforts by the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Interpol-Europol Department, Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Department (KOM), Narcotics Crimes and Intelligence Departments, and Istanbul Police Department.
Minister Yerlikaya concluded his statement by thanking the Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs, as well as all ministry personnel involved in the operation. He also praised the Interpol-Europol Department, KOM, Narcotics Crimes and Intelligence Departments, and the Istanbul Police Department for their successful efforts.
