Istanbul-based money laundering operation... 9 companies seized

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched a comprehensive operation in four provinces following allegations of money laundering. Within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was reported that raids were carried out against a total of 36 suspects in Ankara, Antalya, Kocaeli, and Kayseri. As a result of the operations, a significant amount of assets, including 9 companies, 1 shop, 25 fields or plots of land, 12 residences/apartments, and 104 vehicles, were seized.

In the information provided by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated that the suspect companies and individuals acted in an organized manner to benefit from foreign exchange conversion support and to bring funds of unknown origin into Turkey, and that they issued fake import and export invoices for this purpose. Furthermore, it was reported that the origin of the foreign currency arriving from abroad via the SWIFT method was unknown, and that the funds claimed to have been brought into the country via cash declaration forms were, in reality, foreign currencies collected from within the country or from third parties.

During the judicial proceedings initiated, a decision was made to seize the assets of nine legal entities, including Altun Gold Kıymetli Madenler Ticaret A.Ş., Altun Sanal Mağaza E-Ticaret Ltd. Şti., Ata Deniz Metal Demir Çelik A.Ş., Deniz Sera Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti., Çelik Kons. Yapı İnş. San. ve Tic. A.Ş., and many others. It was noted that the investigation intensified with the operation launched on February 13, 2026, and that efforts regarding the numerous companies and individuals are being carried out with great diligence.

The statement from the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office included the following:

"Within the scope of the investigation file numbered 2026/8080, conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Bureau of Investigation for the Prevention of Financing of Terrorism and Money Laundering; it has been determined that the suspect firms and individuals established an organization to receive foreign exchange conversion support and to bring funds of unknown origin into the country, that they issued fictitious export and import invoices within this organization, that the funds arriving in the form of foreign currency via SWIFT from countries declared as export destinations were funds of unknown origin, that the funds declared to have been brought via cash declaration forms were foreign currencies collected domestically or funds belonging to third parties, and that they benefited from foreign exchange conversion support through documents they prepared among themselves.

In the studies conducted, the suspect companies named ‘Altun Gold Kıymetli Madenler Ticaret Anonim Şirketi, Altun Gold Kıymetli Madenler Ticaret Anonim Şirketi Çarşı Şubesi, Altun Sanal Mağaza E-Ticaret Limited Şirketi, Ata Denız Metal Demir Çelik Anonim Şirketi, Deniz Sera Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limitet Şirketi, Ata Deniz Metal Demir Çelik Anonim Şirketi, Çelik Kons. Yapı İnş. San. Ve Tıc. A.Ş., Akdeniz Cam Genel Pazarlama Mum İnşaat Kuyumculuk Otomotiv Emlak Taşımacılık Turizm Tarım Sanayi Ticaret Limited Şirketi, Muti Demir İnşaat Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Şirketi, Bağdatlı Boya Ve Kimya İnşaat Sanayi Ticaret Limited Şirketi, Hanedar Metal İnşaat Taahhüt Turizm Otomotiv Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Şirket’ have been identified, and it has been decided to seize the assets belonging to these real and legal persons, which are considered to have been obtained since the date of the crime, consisting of 9 companies, 1 shop, 25 fields/plots of land, 12 residences/apartments, and 104 vehicles, and a simultaneous operation was carried out on 13.02.2026 against 36 individuals and 9 workplaces at this stage, centered in our province and including the provinces of Ankara, Antalya, Kocaeli, and Kayseri.

The investigation continues to be carried out in a multi-faceted and diligent manner in order to protect financial security, prevent the entry of proceeds of crime into the economic system, and reveal the organizational structure in all its aspects."

On the other hand, it was reported that following the initiated operations, the investigation is continuing without slowing down, focusing on combating financial crimes and identifying criminal organizations.

News Source: 12punto