An İstanbul court has lifted supervisory trustee measures imposed on 11 of 13 poultry producers targeted in an investigation into alleged price manipulation and anti-competitive practices in the sector, the T24 news website reported on Thursday.
The İstanbul 5th Penal Court of Peace accepted objections filed by seven companies and ruled that the supervisory trustee measures against them be removed.
The latest decision covers Banvit, Şen Piliç, Ay-Pi Tavukçuluk, As Piliç, Lezita, Ak Piliç and Bupiliç, according to agriculture reporter Ali Ekber Yıldırım.
The seven companies had objected to a June 11 decision issued as part of an investigation by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The court ruled after examining the case file that the objections filed by company lawyers should be accepted.
The decision came two days after trustee supervision was lifted for four other companies among the 13 firms targeted in the same investigation, bringing the total number of companies no longer under the measure to 11.
The court also ruled that the file be returned to the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The decision can be appealed within two weeks.
The investigation began earlier this month with police operations targeting companies in the poultry sector. Turkish police detained 29 people on June 12 in an İstanbul-based operation carried out in multiple provinces.
The suspects were released under judicial supervision on June 14 after giving statements to police and appearing before a judge. The measures include a ban on overseas travel.
The investigation, overseen by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and carried out by the İstanbul Police Department’s financial crimes unit, was launched after a review of decisions by Turkey’s Competition Board as well as information and documents obtained from the Trade Ministry.
Prosecutors allege that some company officials directly or indirectly obstructed competition in the market and acted together in ways that disrupted the poultry market, drove up prices and harmed consumers.
Among those detained were senior executives and company officials, including Banvit CEO Tolga Gündüz, Akpiliç Chairman Mustafa Fahrettin Aksoy, Bakpiliç partner Bahattin Bak, Aspiliç Chairman Galip Yeşilbaş, Orvital Chairman Batuhan Tiryakioğlu and Lezita board member Ergun Abalıoğlu.
The companies initially put under trustee supervision were Banvit, Akpiliç, Bakpiliç, Aspiliç, Bupiliç, Erpiliç, Gedik Pazarlama, Hastavuk, Keskinoğlu, Şenpiliç, Orvital, Aypi and Lezita.
The probe is being conducted on accusations of establishing a criminal organization and manipulating prices.
The prosecutor’s office previously said the trustee measure did not mean the companies had been seized or shut down.
It said the purpose was to ensure that production and supply of a basic food product continue without interruption and that commercial activities remain lawful, transparent and auditable.
Under Turkey’s Criminal Procedure Code, courts may appoint trustees to companies if there is strong suspicion that crimes were committed as part of their activities. In a supervisory trusteeship, company management may continue operating, but some decisions can require trustee approval while the investigation proceeds.
The investigation came months after Turkey’s Competition Board fined 13 poultry producers a total of 3.7 billion lira ($80 million) over competition violations and ordered regulatory measures for the sector.
The appointment of trustees to companies has become more common in Turkey since a failed coup in 2016, when more than 1,300 companies were taken over in post-coup investigations and transferred to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund.
Critics say the practice has weakened property rights and legal predictability, while the government says trustee appointments are a lawful tool used in investigations involving terrorism, organized crime, corruption or threats to public order.