Turkish authorities have detained 38 customs officials in a bribery investigation centered on the Kapıkule border crossing with Bulgaria, one of Turkey’s busiest land checkpoints, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
The officials are accused of accepting bribes from people entering or leaving the country through the Kapıkule border gate in the northwestern province of Edirne. The alleged bribery was captured on surveillance cameras installed inside customs booths, Anadolu said.
The detentions were carried out in simultaneous operations as part of an investigation launched by the Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors have also issued detention warrants for 350 additional suspects accused of offering bribes to the customs officials.
During searches of the suspects’ homes and personal belongings, police reportedly seized $14,600, €21,325 and 89,800 Turkish lira in cash.
Kapıkule serves as Turkey’s primary land entry point to the European Union via Bulgaria and is a vital hub for trade, tourism and travel, especially for expatriate Turkish citizens visiting from Europe in the summer. Spanning more than 400,000 square meters, the crossing handles traffic on 23 platforms and plays a crucial role in facilitating commerce between Turkey and Europe.
The detentions have renewed concerns over entrenched corruption in Turkish institutions. Analysts say that efforts to combat systemic graft have been significantly weakened since 2013, when a major corruption investigation implicating then-prime minister and current president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his inner circle was abruptly shut down.
That probe, which alleged widespread bribery and abuse of power among high-ranking officials, was followed by a sweeping purge of the judiciary and law enforcement officers involved in the case. Critics argue that this marked a turning point, effectively dismantling oversight mechanisms and shielding top officials from accountability.
Observers say recent anti-corruption campaigns in Turkey often focus on low to mid-level bureaucrats, while leaving higher-ranking individuals untouched — fueling public skepticism and deepening mistrust in state institutions.