19 January 2010 / FATİH KARAKILIÇ , BURSA
A retired army major, identified only as C. Ö., has been taken into custody as part of a gendarmerie operation into crimes committed by a gang in Bursa.
According to reports, teams from the Bursa Provincial Gendarmerie Command acted upon information suggesting that there was a group of individuals using intimidation and violence to control the executives of some area firms experiencing economic difficulties. As part of their efforts, threats were issued to members of the administrations of the companies.The gendarmerie’s investigation into the claims confirmed that threats and battery had been perpetrated against some company owners, with one man beaten and issued a three-day window of time in which to turn the company over to the gang and pay them a specified amount of money. Security forces determined that the suspects had traveled to İzmir and intended to return to Bursa three days later in a rented vehicle, and planned simultaneous operations to apprehend them, with teams in Bursa’s Osmangazi and Nilüfer districts and İstanbul. In the operations alleged gang leader M.Ş.A., retired Maj. C.Ö. and 8 more were apprehended. The individuals were arrested on charges of “robbery, threats and intentional battery in violation of Law No. 6136.” Gendarmerie teams also seized two nine-millimeter unregistered guns and a number of business documents and agendas in the bust. The 10 suspects were taken to court for depositions.
