Turkish police capture 3 internationally wanted criminals

Turkish authorities apprehended three internationally wanted criminals involved in multiple crimes, including drug trafficking, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on July 29.

On a social media post, Yerlikaya said that the Istanbul police captured Alexander Gustafsson, sought by Sweden on an Interpol red notice for drug trafficking, money laundering, doping and forgery. He entered Türkiye with a fake Polish passport.

Dragan Pavlicevic, wanted by Montenegro on an Interpol red notice for drug trafficking and membership in a criminal organization, was captured in Istanbul on July 28, Yerlikaya said.

The Interpol red notice stated that Pavlicevic, along with criminal organization members, was involved in the shipment of 1.5 tons of cocaine in Montenegro, Colombia, Ecuador, Australia, and the Netherlands. He was also implicated in the shipment of 900 kilograms (1,984 pounds) of cocaine sourced from Ecuador.

Additionally, Alexandar Nedevski, wanted by Sweden with a red diffusion for money laundering and drugs, was detained in the Mediterranean province of Muğla's Bodrum district. He also entered Türkiye with a counterfeit Kosovo passport.

Efforts have been recently particularly concentrated on targeting high-ranking members of international gangs operating within Türkiye, Yerlikaya earlier said in a press conference in June.

Over the course of the year, approximately 14,000 operations led to the apprehension of around 103,000 suspects related to gangs, the minister said.