In Istanbul, an investigation led by the Anadolu Republic Prosecutor’s Office revealed that fraudulent websites were created to mimic those of businesses organizing New Year’s Eve events. These websites were used to take reservations for the holiday celebrations, ultimately defrauding citizens of a total of 2 million 350 thousand lira through 14 different actions.
Following physical surveillance and financial analysis, the police identified a total of 14 suspects, two of whom were located abroad. Efforts to apprehend these suspects were initiated by law enforcement teams.
As part of this operation, simultaneous raids were carried out in Istanbul, as well as in Uşak, Kocaeli, Erzurum, Kahramanmaraş, Bursa, Karabük, Ankara, and Antalya.
During the raids, 10 suspects were arrested. Authorities seized 15 phones, 19 sim cards, computers, flash drives, 2 hard disks, 2 SSD cards, and 8 inactive “open lines,” along with 5,050 dollars believed to be counterfeit.
Of the detained suspects, 8 were referred to court while 2 were released. Five suspects were subsequently arrested by the court, one was placed under judicial supervision, and two were released following their statements to the prosecutor.
The police investigation and subsequent arrests shed light on a sophisticated scam operation targeting citizens looking to celebrate the New Year. Efforts to crack down on such fraudulent activities are ongoing, with law enforcement agencies working together to ensure the safety and security of the public.
