Bakırköy 2nd High Criminal Court hands two members of 'Kara Maskeliler' organization a total of 116 years 11 months in prison

Bakırköy 2nd High Criminal Court announced its verdict on 13 November in the trial of the 'Kara Maskeliler' armed criminal organization.

The panel of judges sentenced the defendant Mert Tuncel to a total of 61 years, 1 month and 7 days in prison for membership of an armed criminal organization, attempted aggravated robbery, damage to property, smuggling, manufacturing, transporting and selling unlicensed firearms and ammunition into the country, and drug trafficking. Exercising his right to the last word at the hearing, Tuncel said he was not a member of the organization and had no connection to the shootings, but that the weapons and drugs seized at his home belonged to him, and he requested his acquittal.

Defendant Muharrem Destan Eğlenti was sentenced to a total of 55 years and 10 months in prison for membership of an armed criminal organization, smuggling, manufacturing, transporting and selling unlicensed firearms and ammunition into the country, and drug trafficking. The court ruled that both defendants remain in detention.

Defendant Necip Doğan was acquitted of all six separate charges brought against him; the panel also ruled on his release. The case files of fugitive defendants İsa Şahin, Murat Küçükyavuz and Muhammed Nur Elmustafa, as well as those of detained defendant Kadir Akkaya, were separated.

According to the indictment prepared by the Organized Crime Investigation Bureau of the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the investigation began after a workplace was shot up in the Yakuplu neighborhood of Beylikdüzü on 15 February 2024. In a search of the 'stash house' where organization members were hiding, 11 Kalashnikov rifles, 501 bullets and magazines, 18 kilograms 710 grams of cannabis and 1 kilogram 905 grams of cocaine were seized. The indictment stated that the Kara Maskeliler, led by Murat Küçükyavuz, had formed an alliance with the 'Daltonlar' criminal organization headed by Beratcan Gökdemir and operated as a lower-tier unit.