The threat of Turkish gangs in London: 'The number one threat'
Turkish organized crime groups, which are influential in the northern and eastern districts of London, have been keeping local residents under pressure through threats and violence for years, while innocent civilians are also being harmed by these conflicts.
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Turkish-origin organized crime networks in London, the capital of the United Kingdom, have gained power, particularly in neighborhoods such as Tottenham, Wood Green, and Dalston. Some of these structures, which experts have highlighted, are known by names such as the 'Bombacılar' (The Bombers) and the 'Tottenham Boys' (Hackney Turks).
It is alleged that these groups, which are claimed to generate significant income from the heroin trade, are protected by members armed with weapons brought illegally from Turkey. Due to the turf wars between gangs, it is reported that even Albanian organizations operating in North London often avoid direct confrontation.
It is stated that the rivalry that has been ongoing for years between these gangs occasionally turns into violent incidents. Drug distribution routes and power struggles frequently lead to armed clashes, sometimes targeting civilians in the region, and even children. In a heartbreaking example, three people were injured in an armed attack on a restaurant in Dalston in May 2024, and a 9-year-old girl eating ice cream was seriously wounded.
EVERYWHERE, WITHOUT HIDING FROM SOCIETY
A teacher who grew up in Wood Green stated that these criminal organizations operate in plain sight and show no hesitation, noting that they act 'without hiding, within the community.'
It is alleged that money is given to some cafes and barbers in the neighborhood under the guise of loans, and when there are delays in payments, attempts are made to collect the debt through pressure and threats. Thus, it is claimed that a network of 'fear and debt' has been created throughout the neighborhood.
Similar incidents have occurred in past years. In 2013, shopkeeper Ahmet Paytak lost his life as a result of an armed attack at a market on Holloway Road. The attack in front of a bakery on Lordship Lane in 2015 and the torture-murder of Turkish DJ Mehmet Koray Alpergin in 2023 stand out as striking examples of this wave of crime. In some attacks, traces of international criminal connections were found.
THE NUMBER ONE THREAT
London Metropolitan Police officials consider Turkish-origin organized crime syndicates the "number one threat" in terms of illegal arms trafficking. It was announced that more than 130 firearms and approximately 2,500 rounds of ammunition have been seized across the city in the last year.
Police sources state that the lowest homicide rate of the last decade has been reached through operations conducted in coordination with the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and the National Crime Agency.
Despite this, citizens living in the area believe that silence and fear prevail. A shopkeeper on Green Lanes said, "Even talking to the police is a risk for our families. We live in fear," while a cafe worker on Lordship Lane remarked, "They have the money and the power. We are just pawns."