Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared recent efforts to crack down on illegal betting and aggravated fraud.
Yerlikaya took to Facebook to share an update on ongoing efforts from Turkish authorities to crack down on illegal betting and aggravated fraud. Recent operations from law enforcement took place across five provinces.
43 suspects were apprehended with a shared transaction volume between them of one billion Turkish lira in their accounts. Out of the 43, eight arrests were made, with judicial control implemented on a further 29. More are expected to go ahead and are currently in progress.
Yerlikaya stated that the suspects are accused of facilitating illegal betting and money transfers through websites, seemingly defrauding citizens by placing fake e-bike, mobile phone sales, and investment advice ads on social media platforms.
These ads drew the attention of the Prosecutor’s Office, prompting the authorities to launch an investigation against the 43 individuals. The in-person raid saw the seizure of many mobile phones, SIM cards, computers, bank cards, and digital materials thought to be related to the fraudulent activities.
“I congratulate our Governors, our Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices who coordinated the operations, our Gendarmerie Cybercrime Combating Department, our Provincial Gendarmerie Commanders who carried out the operations, our Gendarmerie, and our MASAK employees,” wrote Yerlikaya on Facebook. “We continue to fight crime and criminals with determination through our virtual patrols in the Cyber Homeland.”
Turkey is not alone in facing down illegal betting
Turkey is making the crackdown on illegal betting and fraud a priority, but it’s not the only country facing a growing problem. Recent data suggested that a third of US wagering is centered around illegal betting.
In the UK, Visa and Mastercard both flagged the risk of illegal gambling, while regulators in Brazil are pooling resources to tamp down on the growth in illicit activities.
Featured image: Ali Yerlikaya/Pexels
