From the Police to 'The Ghost': Police officers leaked personal data to drug trafficker
Among the 32 people arrested in an operation targeting drug traffickers are two former police officers. An investigation by the Istanbul Police Department revealed that police officer Görkem Özgel, who held a desk job, obtained personal information and sent it to another officer, Ömer Faruk Gezer, who then forwarded it to drug trafficker Orhan Üngan, known as 'The Ghost'.
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Ersin Eroğlu/ 12punto EXCLUSIVE
The 'Kuyu-4' operation was carried out against 4 separate criminal organizations in 12 provinces centered in Istanbul, under the coordination of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and the General Directorate of Security's Anti-Narcotics Department.
During the operations, 47 people were apprehended, including those alleged to be the leaders of the organizations: Mert Orhan Ünğan, İbrahim Kurtar, Aydın Razaki, and Recep Özyıldız.
32 people, including Orhan Üngan, known as 'The Ghost', were arrested and sent to prison.
Among those arrested are two former police officers.
PERSONAL DATA LEAKED FROM A DESK JOB TO 'THE GHOST'
Among the questions asked to Orhan Üngan were those regarding information provided to him by two police officers who were on duty during the 2020-2021 period when the investigation was conducted.
In the HTS records examined at the request of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was determined that police officer Görkem Özgel, who held a desk job, obtained personal information and transmitted it to Ömer Faruk Gezer via the communication program called İMO. Ömer Faruk Gezer then used the communication program SKY-ECC to deliver this information to Orhan Üngan, who was arrested for drug trafficking. The investigation by the police revealed that in exchange for this information, Orhan Üngan made payments to the officers under the guise of 'vacation money'.
Orhan Üngan stated during his police interrogation that he did not know these individuals.
It was learned that police officers Görkem Özgel and Ömer Faruk Gezer had resigned before 2023.
'TİLKİ SELİM', ANNOUNCED BY YERLİKAYA, RELEASED
Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya had announced that in addition to Mert Orhan Ünğan, İbrahim Kurtar, Aydın Razaki, and Recep Özyıldız, Selim Işık, known as 'Tilki Selim' (Fox Selim), had also been detained in the operation against drug traffickers.
While Mert Orhan Ünğan, İbrahim Kurtar, Aydın Razaki, and Recep Özyıldız were arrested on charges of drug trafficking, it was learned that Selim Işık, one of the names announced by Yerlikaya, was released.
It had been alleged in the past that Selim Işık collected extortion money on behalf of Mahmut Yıldırım, codenamed 'Yeşil', one of the key figures in the Susurluk accident.
On the other hand, the investigations determined that those detained were responsible for a total of 3 tons and 367 kilograms of drugs and stimulants seized as a result of operations covering Turkey and various other countries.