Organized crime groups in Turkey are now advertising murder-for-hire, assaults, drug sales and forged identity documents as “services” in messaging apps, according to a special report by the Millî Gazete daily.
Turkey ranked first in Europe on the Global Organized Crime Index 2023. Although authorities have carried out repeated nationwide raids and operations against crime syndicates, critics say these actions are largely performative and that a corrupt judiciary allows suspects to secure release through bribery.
The Millî Gazete report featuring screenshots from several private chat groups on Telegram said illegal activities are openly marketed in messaging apps “like products on an e-commerce site.”
Previous reports also mention Telegram “markets” that operate like open bazaars for criminal activities, while Telegram in May said it had shut down two giant black-market services that had processed tens of billions of dollars.
The paper described listings for “collection jobs,” “shooting contracts” and “abductions,” with users posting price offers and payment conditions such as “half before, half after.” The newspaper said the channels operate under names such as “Tetikçi Mekânı” (Hitman Spot), “İstanbul Tetikçi” (İstanbul Hitman) and “Daltonlar” (The Daltons), and that many posts include photos and usernames that appear genuine.
Some offers allegedly include smuggling people to Bulgaria for a fee of 3,000 euros. Europol has documented €3,000–€5,000 payments to cross the Turkish-Bulgarian border, consistent with those claims.
According to the report members of these groups — many claiming to be between 16 and 25 years old — use cartoon-inspired nicknames such as “the Daltons” or “Caspers” and flaunt images of luxury cars and weapons to attract followers.
Official figures show youth exposure to crime is rising. Just last month, Ankara prosecutors said a 14-province operation against some Telegram/Discord users due to posts and messages that contained sexual abuse of children as well as threats and videos showing torture of animals led to 10 arrests, including minors, among 37 detainees.
Experts cited by the newspaper said the groups exploit disillusioned youths by promising money, status and belonging.
Citing official data, the report noted that Turkey’s overall crime rate has risen exponentially in recent years. While definitions vary across datasets, independent indices place Turkey at the top in Europe for organized crime.
Millî Gazete called on authorities to take immediate action, warning that the existence of such groups “is not only a security failure but also a sign of social decay,” as crime and lawlessness become perceived as ordinary paths to profit.