Six more people, including a well-known actor and a pop singer, have been detained as part of an expanding drug investigation led by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, prosecutors said on Tuesday.
The latest detentions were carried out as part of an ongoing probe into allegations including possession of narcotics for personal use, facilitating drug use, encouraging or mediating prostitution and providing venues or opportunities for gambling.
Among those taken into custody are actor Oktay Kaynarca and singer Emel Müftüoğlu, according to a statement from the prosecutor’s office.
Kaynarca issued a written statement following his detention, saying he would give his testimony as part of the investigation and noting that he has long supported efforts to combat drug use.
“My conscience is clear and my head is held high,” Kaynarca said, adding that he has fought against drugs for many years and supports all lawful operations carried out in that context. He said the public would be informed after forensic procedures are completed.
The latest operation follows earlier raids linked to the same investigation, including a police operation last week targeting Bebek Otel and an entertainment venue in İstanbul. In that operation, several individuals — including social media influencer Ayşe Tarım, model Ayşe Sağlam and singer Ceren Alper — were detained. Three of them were later arrested, while others were released under judicial supervision.
The case is part of a broader series of drug operations launched in İstanbul in recent months that have increasingly involved figures from the television, music and media sectors. Earlier waves of the investigation saw dozens of suspects detained or arrested on similar charges, with some later released after providing statements and biological samples.
According to a 2025 report by the Turkish police, Turkey has moved beyond its traditional role as a transit route for illegal drugs and has increasingly become both a destination market and a production hub, particularly for synthetic substances. The report documented a sharp increase in drug-related operations, with dozens of facilities uncovered in İstanbul alone.
Turkey lies on major land and sea routes linking Asia and the Middle East to Europe, and officials say traffickers are increasingly using the country not only to move drugs onward but also to process and manufacture them.
Drug-related deaths rose 42 percent to 427 in 2024, with synthetic cannabinoids and methamphetamine the most frequently detected substances in fatal cases, according to the report.