ISTANBUL, Nov 2: Turkey has made a significant breakthrough in the global fight against organized crime by capturing Hakan Ayik, a notorious fugitive sought by Australian authorities for over a decade due to his involvement in drug smuggling.
Ayik, known as the “Facebook gangster” in Australia, was apprehended in Istanbul along with 36 others who are believed to be part of an international crime ring.
This operation, which has also been on the radar of U.S. and New Zealand authorities, targeted the Comanchero, an armed motorcycle gang involved in a wide range of illegal activities, including drug trafficking, manslaughter, looting, and money laundering on a global scale.
Hakan Ayik’s notoriety stems from his role in supplying large commercial quantities of drugs, earning him a place on New South Wales’ most-wanted list.
The FBI has also linked Ayik to an app that was utilized to monitor and arrest numerous criminal suspects. In fact, Ayik was among the administrators and influencers responsible for establishing and popularizing this app among criminal networks, which unbeknownst to users, was controlled by the FBI, allowing them to monitor conversations and activities of suspected criminals.
The arrest of Ayik, along with the dismantling of this international crime ring, represents a significant achievement in the fight against organized crime.
The drug trade associated with this group extended across several countries, including South America, Australia, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, South Korea, and South Africa.
Hakan Ayik, originally born to Turkish migrants and raised in Sydney, first caught the attention of Australian authorities around 2005. His extravagant lifestyle and wealth were flaunted on social media, leading to his infamous nickname, the “Facebook gangster.”
This high-profile arrest is seen as a major success in the ongoing battle against international organized crime, and it highlights the crucial role that technology and international cooperation play in apprehending individuals involved in such activities.
Ayik’s capture in Turkey signifies a significant blow to transnational crime networks, particularly those engaged in illicit drug trafficking.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya revealed that the recent detentions in Istanbul were part of a major operation targeting an organization allegedly involved in a range of criminal activities on a global scale.
This organization, led by individuals such as Hakan Ayik, also known as the “Facebook gangster,” and Duax Arif Tavukcu, is believed to have engaged in drug trafficking, manslaughter, armed looting, and money laundering.
Ayik, a fugitive wanted by U.S. and Australian authorities, has been on the most wanted list in New South Wales for a decade, primarily sought for his involvement in the supply of large quantities of drugs.
The operation against this international criminal network is a significant step in bringing its members to justice. Notably, Ayik’s role in establishing and promoting the An0m app among criminal networks was exposed through a U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation indictment in 2021.
This app was believed to be encrypted by its users, but it was, in reality, controlled by the FBI, allowing them to monitor criminal conversations. The successful operation in Istanbul represents a major development in the fight against transnational organized crime.
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