Drug barons had been released: Allegations that 'HSK has taken action'

The release of 15 defendants at their first hearing, who were arrested in the Turkish leg of a criminal gang facilitating drug trafficking between South America and Europe—uncovered after 4 tons and 200 kilograms of cocaine were seized in a warehouse in the Belgian city of Antwerp—has shaken the judicial world. Following an objection by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, an arrest warrant was issued for 7 of the defendants 5 days later. It has been learned that the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) is preparing an investigation into the releases.

Within the scope of the 'Cherokee' investigation launched in the Netherlands, it was revealed that the gang was led by Dutch drug baron Joseph Johannes Leijdekkers, while the baron in the Turkish leg was Abdullah Alp Üstün. A lawsuit was filed against 51 suspects caught in operations targeting the drug traffickers last year, with demands for up to 82 years in prison.

RELEASED AT THE FIRST HEARING

According to the report by Halit Turan from Sabah; 15 detained defendants, including Abdullah Alp Üstün, appeared before the judge at the Istanbul 15th High Criminal Court. After the hearing, which lasted until 02:30 AM, the presiding judge decided to release all 15 defendants, despite the prosecutor's request for the continuation of the detention of all defendants.

Following the releases, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office objected to the court's decision. Reviewing the objections, the Istanbul 16th High Criminal Court decided 5 days after the releases to re-arrest Abdullah Alp Üstün, his son Efe Alp Üstün, Aziz Demir, Bahadır Mert Oğur, Eric Schroeder, Selçuk Aydın, and Wilhelmus Adrianus Leijdekkers. It rejected the objection made against the judicial control decision and the international travel ban for 8 other defendants.

RELEASES UNDER SCRUTINY

It has been learned that the Council of Judges and Prosecutors is preparing an investigation into the court panel that issued the release decision for the 15 defendants, despite the evidence in the file and the detailed MASAK report prepared regarding money laundering.

"THE GODFATHER" FAN

It was reflected in the indictment that Abdullah Alp Üstün and his son were inspired by the famous Godfather film for the code names they used within the organization. In the deciphered internal correspondence of the organization, it was determined that Abdullah Alp Üstün used the code name 'Don Vito Corleone,' played by Marlon Brando in The Godfather film, and his son Efe Alp Üstün used the alias Michael Corleone, the son of Vito Corleone.