A German national, the leader of an organized crime group who is wanted on an INTERPOL Red Notice by the authorities in Germany, has been captured in a raid in İstanbul, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Wednesday, citing Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
Yerlikaya, who has announced the capture in Turkey of several people sought internationally since taking office in early June, said on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday that gang leader Eric Schroeder was captured in “Operation Cage-25.”
🟥 Almanya tarafından çıkartılan İnterpol Kırmızı Bülteniyle “Suç İşlemek Amacıyla Örgüt Kurma, Suçtan Kaynaklanan Malvarlığı Değerlerini Aklama ve Uyuşturucu Ticareti Yapma Suçlarıyla” aranan Organize Suç Örgütü Elebaşı ERIC SCHROEDER İstanbul’da yapılan “KAFES-25” Operasyonuyla… pic.twitter.com/rfgJY5Vr6j
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) December 27, 2023
According to the minister, Schroeder was sought for “establishing an organization with the intent to commit crimes, money laundering from criminal proceeds and drug trafficking,”
Yerlikaya said the gang leader managed drug trafficking in Hamburg and is accused by German authorities of trafficking a total of 784 kilograms of marijuana and 154 kilograms of cocaine.
The minister added that Schroeder is also known to be involved in a container heist with Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle club members, which contained 1.1 tons of cocaine. Additionally, Schroeder is said to have handled the financial affairs and money laundering of international drug trafficker Joseph Johannes Leijdekkers in Europe.
A total of €41,850 ($46,267) and TL 38,000 ($1,292), four Rolex watches, five mobile phones with three SIM cards and various passports and identity cards under different names belonging to Schroeder were seized as a result of the operation, according to Yerlikaya.
During the time in office of Yerlikaya’s predecessor, Süleyman Soylu, Turkey faced allegations of involvement in international drug trafficking, primarily driven by Turkish mob boss Sedat Peker. In a series of dramatic videos in 2021, Peker accused Soylu and other high-ranking officials of protecting and facilitating cocaine trafficking networks.
Soylu’s departure from the ministry had brought his alleged involvement in international drug trafficking and ties to mafia groups into the spotlight, leading to significant changes in the Turkish police force and crackdowns on international drug rings.
Soylu was appointed interior minister shortly after a coup attempt in Turkey in July 2016. He was the architect of a massive purge and arrest of thousands of non-loyalist citizens on bogus terrorism or coup charges.
He was elected to parliament in the May general election as a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker and enjoys parliamentary immunity.