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Antalya’s provincial police chief and a local businessperson have been detained as part of a corruption investigation linked to suspended former Mayor Muhittin Bocek of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
Police Chief Ilker Arslan and businessperson Fazlı A. were arrested on charges of “acting as intermediaries for bribery, aggravated fraud and unlawful enrichment,” prosecutors said Sunday. Both were later sent to prison.
Böcek was suspended from office on July 6. Prosecutors allege Arslan received bribes and illicit favors through Fazlı A., according to the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The General Directorate of Security announced Sunday that Arslan had been suspended from duty by the Interior Ministry.
The case file also includes Arslan’s wife and daughter. A report by Türkiye’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) documented direct transfers from Fazlı A. to Arslan, including TL 250,000 (over $6,000) in cash and another TL 997,000 described as a “customs clearance fee.” Prosecutors estimate the network moved millions of lira.
In July, Böcek’s son and former daughter-in-law were also arrested.
The probe builds on earlier findings that uncovered a TL 195 million lira bribery network tied to the suspended mayor. Businesspeople who won municipal tenders are accused of making large payments, including one of TL 55 million and another of TL 80 million, to secure municipal approvals and expedite paperwork in Antalya, one of Türkiye’s largest tourist destinations.
The detention of the police chief and businessperson is the latest blow to the CHP, which has recently faced mounting investigations into its mayors over bribery and corruption allegations, putting the party on the defensive in public opinion.
Alongside the high-profile case of former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who is currently in prison on multiple charges, the Antalya probe has also shaken the party, as the city of more than 2.7 million people is one of the country’s largest urban centers.
