Court sentences organized crime leader to 15 years in prison

İZMİR

DHA Photo

A Turkish court has sentenced Coşkun Necati Arabacı, identified as the leader of the Hells Angels organized crime group, to 15 years and six months in prison in a case heard in the western province of İzmir.

The İzmir 20th High Criminal Court handed down the verdict on Oct. 22, sentencing Arabacı to six years for establishing and leading a criminal organization, seven years and six months for intentionally injuring two separate victims as part of his leadership of the group and two years for carrying unlicensed firearms in connection with two separate armed assault incidents. Arabacı was acquitted of the other charges against him.

He was detained on Oct. 5, 2025, after arriving at Adnan Menderes Airport in İzmir from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Police from the provincial organized crime unit took him into custody, and he was subsequently arrested by a court.

He was later released under judicial supervision by a lower criminal court but was rearrested after the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office appealed the decision.

Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of up to 35 years on charges including leading a criminal organization, aggravated robbery, aggravated intentional injury and violating Türkiye’s firearms and knives legislation.

The indictment was accepted by the İzmir 20th High Criminal Court, which ultimately convicted Arabacı of the offenses specified in its ruling while acquitting him of the remaining charges.