Turkish police have captured a Russian man in the southern province of Antalya who was sought on an INTERPOL Red Notice on bribery charges in Russia, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
The man, identified only by the initials A.P., was caught in a Ukraine-flagged boat off the coast of Antalya, according to a statement from the Antalya Governor’s Office.
The police operation, supported by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT), was launched after receiving a tip that the man was about to flee Turkey by water.
Three other people including A.P.’s son, a Ukrainian and an Azerbaijani, were also detained in the operation, while police seized cash in various foreign currencies, Turkish and Russian ID cards, four mobile phones, a laptop and a tablet during the search of the boat.
While two other persons were later released from custody, A.P.’s son was sent to the Antalya provincial branch of the migration management authority to be deported since his residence permit in Turkey had expired.
According to the governor’s office, A.P. acquired Turkish citizenship in 2021 but was stripped of it in 2023 due to an arrest warrant issued for him by Russian authorities.
Since Turkey’s current interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, took office in June 2023, dozens of international criminals sought on various charges such as drug trafficking, fraud and money laundering have been arrested in Turkey, where they had enjoyed a safe haven.
The departure of Yerlikaya’s predecessor, Süleyman Soylu, from the ministry had brought allegations of 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.