Authorities in Turkey have arrested 324 people in a nationwide crackdown targeting online fraud, child exploitation, and illegal gambling. The operation, spanning 28 provinces, resulted in 181 individuals being taken into custody, with another 87 placed under judicial control, officials announced on February 22, 2026.
324 INDIVIDUALS DETAINED
The coordinated effort, conducted over the past five days, focused on dismantling networks involved in a range of criminal activities. According to a statement released by the Ministry of Interior, the suspects are accused of defrauding citizens through schemes promoted on social media and phishing websites, including investment scams, low-interest loan fraud, bogus vacation rentals, and counterfeit product sales.
Investigators similarly allege the suspects gained unauthorized access to victims’ mobile banking and gaming accounts, facilitated illegal betting and gambling operations, laundered money through illicit betting sites, engaged in predatory lending practices, and distributed child sexual abuse material. They are also accused of illegally sharing and accessing personal data.
$210 MILLION IN ASSETS SEIZED
The operation led to the seizure of approximately 210 million Turkish Lira (roughly $6.5 million USD) in assets believed to be proceeds of crime. These assets include three companies, one soccer club, 11 vehicles, three motorcycles, seven apartments, six plots of land, and one business. The case highlights the growing threat of cybercrime and the authorities’ commitment to combating it.
“The suspects were defrauding citizens using themes of ‘investment fraud, low-interest credit fraud, bungalow rental, product sales fraud’ through social media platforms and phishing sites,” officials said. “They were gaining unauthorized access to citizens’ mobile banking and gaming accounts, operating illegal betting and gambling, facilitating and advertising money transfers on illegal betting sites, engaging in POS loan sharking, possessing obscene child images, and sharing and querying personal data.”
“Our fight against cybercrime and criminals will continue with determination. We congratulate those who contributed,” the Ministry of Interior stated.

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