Seventeen individuals arrested in the broadened corruption probe linked to Antalya Municipality
In a shocking development, Antalya Mayor Muhittin Bocek was arrested on July 5 as part of a bribery probe, marking the beginning of a wide-ranging investigation into corruption within the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality.
The alleged bribery scheme, which involves four contractors, has been estimated to have cost a staggering ₺195 million (approximately $6 million). According to reports, the contractors - identified as A.A., B.Ç., M.Y., and Y.Y. - paid the bribes to secure municipal tenders and progress payments for projects.
The illicit funds were reportedly converted into gold through a network of businesses, including a currency exchange office in Finike and affiliated jewelry stores. Some of the gold was stored in safes, while parts of the money were used to purchase luxury vehicles, initially registered under different names to obscure ownership and traceability.
Authorities have detained 17 suspects in coordinated raids, including jewelry shop and currency exchange owners suspected of facilitating the money laundering. Investigators have requested court-appointed trustees for one currency exchange office and two jewelry businesses involved in laundering the bribe money.
Among those detained were Serkan Temucin, Metropolitan Municipality Deputy General Secretary, and Tuncay Kaya, Urban Aesthetics Department Director, on charges of "extortion."
Mayor Bocek's son, Mustafa Gokhan Bocek, was determined to be abroad at the time of his father's arrest. Bocek's former daughter-in-law, Zuhal Bocek, was caught at the airport on July 27 on allegations of "laundering proceeds from crime." She was arrested when she appeared in court on July 28.
Zuhal Bocek's husband, Halil K., an information technology support worker, was released under judicial control and house arrest. H.A., K.A., and B.C. were also detained on July 28.
Following his arrest, the Interior Ministry removed Muhittin Bocek from office. The investigation is part of a broader crackdown on corruption in opposition-run municipalities in Turkey.
As the investigation continues, the public awaits further developments in this high-profile case that has shaken the political landscape of Antalya.
In the ongoing investigation, one of the suspects, Serkan Temucin, was the Metropolitan Municipality Deputy General Secretary, while Tuncay Kaya held the position of Urban Aesthetics Department Director, both facing charges of "extortion."
The investigation has extended beyond Antalya, touching on opposition-run municipalities across Turkey, initiating a broader crackdown on corruption.
Amidst the developments, Kurdish journalist Ahmet Kaya, reporting on thecase in Istanbul, was threatened with legal action for his coverage of the corruption allegations.
