Turkish authorities have detained a total of 131 suspects in two separate operations targeting illegal betting networks, including a large-scale probe spanning 41 provinces and a separate investigation in İstanbul involving an electronic payment company, the private IHA news agency reported.
In the first operation, overseen by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, police carried out raids on Tuesday across 41 provinces as part of an investigation into facilitating money transfers linked to illegal betting and laundering criminal proceeds.
A total of 111 suspects have been detained in the operation.
A report by Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) found that the network handled transactions totaling approximately 35.8 billion lira (about $800 million).
During the raids, assets believed to have been acquired through criminal activity, including nine cars, motorcycles and two plots of land with an estimated market value of 10.75 million lira (about $250,000), have been seized.
The assets were linked to 14 of the suspects and were held across 190 bank and cryptocurrency accounts.
In a separate operation in İstanbul, prosecutors ordered the detention of 20 people as part of an investigation into illegal betting activities involving MYPAYZ Elektronik Para, an intermediary payment system.
Further details about the scope of the company’s alleged role were not available.
The latest operations come amid an ongoing crackdown on illegal gambling networks in Turkey, as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle online betting operations and their financial backbones.
In recent months prosecutors have targeted payment platforms, electronic money companies and cryptocurrency channels accused of facilitating illegal betting transactions, while regulators have moved to suspend or revoke the licenses of companies linked to money laundering.
Gambling remains tightly restricted in Turkey. Casinos were banned in 1998, and non-state online gambling was outlawed in 2006, though state-run lottery and betting services remain legal.
Turkish authorities say such activities fuel addiction and drain billions of lira from the economy.