Authorities in Turkey have detained a total of 429 suspects in a series of large-scale operations against cybercrime carried out in the past 10 days, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on his Ex profile, BTA reported.
Yerlikaya's post makes it clear that 354 suspects were detained in raids carried out in 35 of the country's districts in the past 10 days, and another 75 people were arrested yesterday morning in a specialized operation carried out in Istanbul and 14 other districts of the country. During the operations, law enforcement agencies seized 16 companies, 13 homes, 37 cars, eight motorcycles, 14 apartments, seven stores, 13 land properties, 447 bank accounts and a large amount of jewelry and other valuables, the total value of which exceeds approximately 1.05 billion Turkish liras (20.3 million euros), the publication also states.
Yerlikaya also emphasized that the operations prevented “material and emotional damage“ to citizens caused by cybercrimes such as the distribution of child pornography, online fraud and the promotion of illegal betting.
The suspects are accused of possessing materials with sexual exploitation of children and of organizing fraudulent schemes through social networks and various websites with false advertisements for reserving hotel rooms, selling real estate and offering low-interest loans.