Bribery operation in Bodrum: Port authority head caught red-handed with marked bills
Two people have been referred to the courthouse following an operation in Bodrum, Muğla, launched over allegations that bribes were demanded for the entry procedures of a yacht.
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In the Bodrum district of Muğla, an operation was conducted over allegations that bribes were demanded for the entry procedures of a luxury yacht belonging to a Russian businessperson into Turkey. It was reported that the Bodrum Port Authority Head, T.A., was caught red-handed with money whose serial numbers had been recorded in advance.
T.Ş., who applied to the Bodrum Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime (KOM) Bureau, stated that he is the owner of the intermediary yacht company handling the entry procedures for the yacht in question and filed a complaint against the port authority head, T.A. T.Ş. alleged that 2,000 euros were demanded from him for every entry of the yacht into Turkey, and that a total of 12,000 euros was requested for 6 entries during the 2026 summer season.
Following the complaint, an investigation was initiated under the coordination of the Bodrum Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The money, with its serial numbers recorded, was handed over to the complainant, T.Ş. It was reported that T.Ş. entered T.A.'s office with the money, and the teams conducted the operation following the handover.
During the operation, port authority head T.A. was detained, and Ö.Ç., an employee of the Bodrum Port Authority who was considered to have a connection to the incident, was also apprehended.
CASH AND DIGITAL MATERIALS SEIZED DURING SEARCHES
Searches conducted at the suspects' workplaces, residences, and vehicles resulted in the seizure of 66,280 euros, 440 British pounds, 660 dollars, and 52,200 TL. During the searches, 5 note papers considered to be related to bribery and extortion, 1 unlicensed pistol, 138 pistol cartridges, 4 cutting tools, and 8 digital materials were also confiscated.
It was learned that in his statement, the complainant T.Ş. also alleged that he had covered the expenses for T.A.'s child's circumcision ceremony in the past. T.Ş. further claimed that in the summer of 2025, T.A. directed him to a boat, and a person coming from the boat gave him a bag containing 500,000 TL, and that he delivered this money the next day to Bodrum Port Authority employee Ö.Ç. with the request that it be delivered to T.A.
Having completed their procedures at the police station, port authority head T.A. and port authority employee Ö.Ç. were referred to the courthouse. It was stated that the investigation into the incident is ongoing.