Authorities have arrested 16 people following a sweeping five-day nationwide crackdown on cybercrime that targeted illegal gambling, child exploitation and digital fraud, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Jan. 14.
The operations, conducted across 16 of the country's 81 provinces, including Istanbul, İzmir, Antalya and Diyarbakır, resulted in the apprehension of 126 suspects. According to a social media post by Yerlikaya, 41 of those detained have been released under judicial supervision, while processing continued for the remaining suspects held at local police stations on Jan. 14.
Investigators alleged the suspects utilized digital platforms to carry out a wide array of criminal activities. Central to the investigation were organized illegal betting rings that facilitated unauthorized money transfers and advertising for gambling websites.
The crackdown also targeted various forms of online fraud. Authorities said suspects operated phishing sites to defraud citizens by selling counterfeit products and offering fraudulent "consultancy" for cryptocurrency investment. Other groups were targeted for unauthorized access to personal data, mobile banking apps and online gaming accounts.
The operation further focused on the distribution of child pornography and the sharing of abusive content on online platforms, the minister said.
