Turkey: Interpol bring in 70 wanted fugitives since Jan

By Orhan Onur Gemici

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Interpol as of Wednesday returned 70 wanted fugitives to the country in operations in the first six months of the year.

Following successful missions coordinated with their counterparts from other countries, Turkey's Interpol-Europol police department brought back the suspected criminals, who allegedly fled the country, between Jan. 1 and July 1.

During the first half of 2020, as a result of operations, a total of 47 suspects were extradited to Turkey, eight were transferred and 15 were deported.

Following procedures, the suspects were referred to judiciary authorities.

Half of the suspects were wanted for public order crimes, 22 for smuggling and 13 for terrorism.

Comparing the same period over the past three years, the number of extraditions of wanted suspects climbed in 2020, from 24 in 2018, 35 last year and 47 in 2020.

Most suspects were picked up at Turkey's border crossings with Bulgaria and Georgia as international flights had been restricted due to the novel coronavirus pandemic for the bulk of this period.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev