Turkish police have captured three more organized crime leaders, two of whom are wanted on INTERPOL Red Notices and one the subject of a diffusion circulated through the INTERPOL system, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced.
The minister tweeted that Polish national Alexander Gustafsson, wanted by Sweden on charges of money laundering, drug trafficking and fraud, was detained in İstanbul, as was Dragan Pavlicevic, wanted by Montenegro for alleged drug trafficking and membership in a crime organization. They were both sought on INTERPOL Red Notices.
🟥 İsveç tarafından çıkartılan İnterpol Kırmızı Bülteniyle “Uyuşturucu Madde Ticareti, Kara Para Aklama, Doping ve Sahtecilik" suçlarından uluslararası seviyede aranan “Alexander Gustafsson” İstanbul’da,
🟥 Karadağ tarağından çıkartılan İnterpol Kırmızı Bülteniyle “Uyuşturucu… pic.twitter.com/NZPa7z0Ee4
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) July 29, 2024
Pavlicevic shipped 1.5 tons of cocaine in cooperation with members of criminal organizations in Montenegro, Colombia, Ecuador, Australia and the Netherlands. He also obtained 900 kilograms of cocaine from Ecuador and shipped it to other countries, according to information on the INTERPOL Red Notice, the minister said.
Alexandar Nedevski, also wanted by Sweden on money laundering and drug trafficking charges, was detained in an operation in the popular holiday resort of Bodrum. Nedevski was the subject of an INTERPOL diffusion.
The detentions, the latest resulting from a series of months-long operations targeting international criminals who found safe haven in Turkey, took place as part of the “Well 13” operation.
During the time in office of Yerlikaya’s predecessor, Süleyman Soylu, Turkey faced allegations of involvement in international drug trafficking, primarily revealed 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.
Yerlikaya replaced Soylu in June 2023 in a new cabinet established after the general election in May 2023.