Several public figures among 19 detained in expanding drug op

ISTANBUL

Turkish authorities have detained 19 people, including several well-known musicians, actors, fashion figures and business owners, as part of a wide-ranging drug investigation targeting public figures, prosecutors said on Feb. 17.

Among those taken into custody are pop singer Murat Dalkılıç, fashion designer and stylist Kemal Doğulu, rock musician Kaan Tangöze, actor İsmail Hacıoğlu and boxer Adem Kılıçcı.

In addition to entertainers, several business figures were detained, including Murathan Kurt and Nailcan Kurt, partners in the food brand Züber.

According to the prosecutor’s statement, the investigation covers alleged offenses under Turkish law, including personal use or possession of narcotics, facilitating drug use and prostitution-related offenses.

Searches, seizures and detentions were conducted simultaneously across multiple locations.

Authorities said 25 suspects were targeted in total. Among the suspects, one was found to be abroad, and efforts to locate the remaining suspects were ongoing as of Feb. 17.

As part of the same investigation, Lal Denizli, the mayor of the western province of İzmir’s Çeşme, was also summoned to provide testimony as a suspect on Feb. 16, according to prosecutors.

This investigation has been ongoing since October last year, with multiple waves of operations targeting individuals known to the public.

It drew widespread attention when TV anchor Ersoy was arrested last December. Following the operation, the anchor was dismissed from his post as editor-in-chief at Habertürk TV.

He has also faced allegations that he introduced women to men in his circle in order to gain professional and financial advantages and that suspects enabled drug use at their residences and supplied narcotics to women brought there.

News anchor Ela Rümeysa Cebeci and journalist Ebru Gülan are also among those arrested.

Recently, former football star Ümit Karan applied to the prosecutor’s office to benefit from effective remorse provisions following his arrest in the investigation.