Türkiye secures extradition of 40 fugitives

ANKARA

Forty fugitives were extradited to Türkiye, 20 of whom were wanted under Interpol red notices, following their apprehension in countries including the United States, Germany and Russia, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Jan. 2.

The suspects sought under red notices faced legal proceedings in Türkiye for crimes such as homicide, theft, child sexual abuse and drug trafficking.

Other fugitives were wanted for offenses including promoting terrorist organizations, forgery of official documents and carrying unlicensed firearms.

They were captured in Georgia, Germany, Bulgaria, the United States, Croatia, Switzerland, Montenegro, Russia and Greece. Yerlikaya confirmed that all suspects were successfully repatriated to Türkiye.

Amid intensified domestic operations against organized crime, Türkiye has also been strengthening international cooperation on the extradition of criminals.

In February 2025, an Italian delegation of prosecutors and high-level law enforcement officials engaged in talks with counterparts in Istanbul to discuss an ongoing legal process regarding a notorious Turkish criminal syndicate, local media has reported.

The gang, led by Barış Boyun who is currently imprisoned in Italy, was at the center of multiple high-profile armed assaults, often executed with motorcycles for swift maneuverability.