[50692] Turkey: Authorities report the dismantling of massive illegal gambling and money laundering networks
[50692] Turkey: Authorities report the dismantling of massive illegal gambling and money laundering networks
Large-scale enforcement operations in Turkey have led to the exposure of gambling networks and illegal financial activity worth billions of dollars. The Minister of Justice confirmed that technological infrastructures and millions of user records were blocked.
Extensive enforcement operation against gambling and money laundering networks in Turkey
During May 5, 2026, media outlets in Turkey reported on a series of significant enforcement actions against online gambling networks and international money laundering. According to Sansürsüz Medya +18, Turkish Minister of Justice, Akın Gürlek, stated that the operation focused on neutralizing the technological infrastructure of 49 illegal gambling websites. According to Gürlek, the operation resulted in the "shutting down of servers" and the compromising of "15 million user records and 1,200 internet extensions."
At the same time, TGRT HABER reported that this was a crushing blow to "illegal gambling gangs," with Minister Gürlek noting that the operation exposed "dirty" money traffic totaling 1.6 billion Turkish Liras. The media outlet TGRT, considered close to the government establishment, emphasizes the operational success of the Ministry of Justice in the war against digital crime.
In a separate report by Haber Gündem, referred to as Operation "Paymix," an even larger network was exposed, engaged in money laundering through cryptocurrencies, which according to the report reached a monthly activity turnover of "one billion dollars." Haber Gündem notes that as part of this investigation, 38 suspects were detained, and seizures were carried out on numerous bank accounts, vehicles, and real estate.
The reports highlight the state's effort to eradicate the black economy and the use of modern financial technologies for criminal purposes. While the financial data between sources varies (between Turkish Liras and dollars), it is clear that this is a multi-branch enforcement operation against criminal cyber infrastructures.