Turkish Escobar investigation complete: They made drugs look like exports, laundered money with a front company

The investigation into the international drug gang led by drug lord Ürfi Çetinkaya, known as the Turkish Escobar, has been completed.

In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 147 people were listed as suspects.

ÜRFİ ÇETİNKAYA: FROM SMUGGLING TO CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION LEADERSHIP

In the prepared indictment, it was explained that Çetinkaya was known for cigarette smuggling in the 1970s, arms, bullets and customs smuggling in the 1980s and drug smuggling in the 1990s, and that he was suspected of drug production and trafficking, money laundering, murder, injury and threats, but that he tried to give the image of a charitable businessman with institutions such as schools and health centers that he had built.

In the indictment, it was explained that although investigations were conducted into the money laundering activities of the Çetinkaya family and their companies, it was determined that the cases opened were time-barred.

TRANSFER MONEY WITH HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT TRANSACTIONS

It was stated that the companies in question continued their activities and that in this context, the proceeds of crime were transferred and converted through hundreds of different transactions by the companies managed by the Çetinkaya family.

"DRUG INCOME WAS SHOWN AS EXPORT"

It was stated that the family established companies by acquiring assets through their employees or people they trusted, made payments through the accounts belonging to their employees, appointed their employees as partners, board members, trustees or liquidators in the seized companies, and brought drug revenues to Turkey by showing them as export revenues or through currency exchange offices and jewelers.

It was also noted that there were strong suspicions that shipping companies were established in Malta and Türkiye and that they could be used for drug trafficking purposes.

THEY WERE CALLING BROTHER, UNCLE, CHIEF AND UNCLE

The indictment, which states that the activities of the criminal organization suspects are not limited to drug trafficking and money laundering, also states that drug trafficking, in particular, directly threatens public health, weakens the physical and psychological well-being of individuals, and thus negatively affects the basic dynamics of the social structure.

It was stated that the managers and members of the organization received their instructions directly or indirectly from Ürfi Çetinkaya, and that he was referred to with titles such as brother, uncle, chief and maternal uncle in internal communication.

THEY DEVELOPED COURIER METHODS

In the indictment, it was stated that two main areas of activity were evident in the operation of the organization, namely drug trafficking and laundering of criminal proceeds, and it was determined that the organization, which had international connections, used encrypted communication tools and various courier methods in order to ensure confidentiality and security during the shipment process.

SHUTTER COMPANIES AND OFF-SHORE CENTERS

It was stated that the other part of the organization members carried out the activities of integrating the proceeds of crime into the economic system, and that in this process, it was aimed to make the proceeds of crime appear legitimate by using tools such as shell companies, international bank accounts and off-shore centers, and that in particular, the systematic execution of the activities ensured the continuity of the organization's financial resources and transformed the organization into an economically strong structure.

In the prepared indictment, it was explained that suspects named Ürfi Çetinkaya, Ali Korman Erbacıoğlu, Sinan Köroğlu, Şahin Sekman and Rojdi Tekin systematically managed the criminal organization with instructions.

"THEY MANAGED THE TRANSPORTATION PROCESS TO Türkiye"

It was stated that these individuals, in particular, played a key role in drug trafficking and laundering of criminal proceeds, and that they regularly gave instructions to members of the organization, organizing both drug shipments and the operation of the distribution network.

It was stated that the suspects managed the process of transferring the proceeds of drug trafficking from abroad to Turkey , that members of the criminal organization organized the drug shipments with the instructions they received from the leaders, and that they managed the networks that ensured the distribution of drugs and also directed the processes of transferring the proceeds of crime abroad and integrating them into the country.

WHAT PENALTIES WERE REQUESTED?

In the prepared indictment, it was requested that the suspects, Ali Korman Erbacıoğlu, Şahin Sekman, Sinan Köroğlu and Rojdi Tekin, who are alleged to be the leaders of the organization, be sentenced to a total of 190 to 292 years in prison each for the crimes of establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime, laundering assets resulting from crime and trafficking in drugs or stimulants three times due to their arrests in Spain, Bulgaria and Bodrum.

The other suspects were asked to be sentenced to varying terms of imprisonment.

CANCELLATION OF THE OPERATING LICENSES OF SOME COMPANIES WAS REQUESTED

The indictment also requested that administrative fines be imposed on the companies that the 30 suspects were found to be owners or partners of and that were alleged to be directly linked to the proceeds of crime, and that the operating licenses of the companies in question be cancelled separately.

On the other hand, a decision was made not to prosecute four people, including Ürfi Çetinkaya, who died in prison, on charges of concealing the illegitimate source of assets, establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime, facilitating the escape of a detained or arrested person, being a member of an organization established for the purpose of committing a crime, possessing an unlicensed weapon, favoring a criminal, and importing narcotics or stimulants.