Turkey’s interior minister has announced that nine fugitives wanted on INTERPOL Red Notices have been captured in five countries and extradited to Turkey.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X on Tuesday that the individuals were arrested in Georgia, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and Croatia through cooperation with local law enforcement.
BİR BİR YAKALAYIP GERİ GETİRECEĞİZ. HER ZAMAN OLDUĞU GİBİ TEKRAR SÖYLÜYORUM: “BİZDEN KAÇAMAYACAKSINIZ”❗️
🟥 Kırmızı Bültenle Aradığımız 9 Suçluyu, GÜRCİSTAN(3), ALMANYA (2), BİRLEŞİK ARAP EMİRLİKLERİ (2), İSVİÇRE ve HIRVATİSTAN’dan Ülkemize Getirdik.
🟥 Kırmızı bültenle… pic.twitter.com/G4xrWdqsfl
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) September 30, 2025
He said the fugitives faced charges including murder, sexual abuse of a child, armed robbery and drug trafficking. Among them were three suspects detained in Georgia, two in Germany, two in the UAE, one in Switzerland and one in Croatia.
“We closely tracked those who fled abroad and were wanted under international search warrants,” Yerlikaya said, praising joint operations with foreign authorities.
The ministry did not release the full names of the suspects but listed only their initials, in line with Turkish practice.
The nine fugitives are among the dozens of wanted criminals whose capture in Turkey or abroad Yerlikaya has announced on X since taking office in June 2023.
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.