Turkey announced the apprehension of a British gang leader involved in narcotics trafficking, illegal arms dealings, and robbery, following a successful operation in Istanbul.
According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, Shaun Monaghan, who headed a British criminal group active in northeast England, was subject to an Interpol red notice.
Monaghan, who arrived in Turkey in October, was located in Istanbul’s Fatih district and detained by Turkish authorities on Wednesday.
This was shortly after the issuance of the Interpol notice on Tuesday, Yerlikaya disclosed. The interior ministry released footage showing narcotics officers arresting a suspect in a hotel room.
Yerlikaya, using a social messaging platform X, informed that Monaghan’s gang was implicated in the distribution of cocaine and heroin, as well as armed robbery.
This arrest marks another significant stride in Turkey’s ongoing crackdown on international organized crime.
Previously, Turkey captured Hakan Ayik, a key fugitive sought by Australian authorities for drug trafficking, and 36 others linked to a global crime network also pursued by U.S. and New Zealand law enforcement.
Over the weekend, Yerlikaya also announced the capture of Shamil Amirov, a high-ranking member of the “Thieves in Law,” a criminal syndicate operating in Russia. These operations underscore Turkey’s active role in combating organized crime at an international level.
Turkish President Erdogan recently criticized Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the war crimes of Israel, affirming the priority is to ensure a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.
“Israel’s war crimes and its crimes against humanity in Gaza should not be left unanswered,” he said on Tuesday as he delivered his remarks at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Qatar’s capital Doha.
