Istanbul Arrest of the leader of a criminal organization wanted by Interpol

On Wednesday, Turkish police arrested the leader of a criminal organization in Istanbul who is wanted by Interpol.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced today (Wednesday) the arrest of the leader of a criminal organization in Istanbul, named Erich Schroeder, who is wanted by Interpol according to a red notice issued by Germany.

Yerlikaya said, in a post on the

He added: "He was wanted by the German authorities on charges of running a drug trade in Hamburg, leading an organization to commit crimes, and laundering money from criminal assets. He is accused of involvement in drug trafficking in a total of 24 incidents, including 784 kilograms of marijuana and 154 kilograms of cocaine."

He continued: "He was also involved in the theft of a container containing 1.1 tons of cocaine, along with members of the Hells Angels armed crime syndicate. It was found that he was handling the financial affairs of an international drug trafficker named Joseph Johannes Leydijkers in Europe and laundering his money."

The Turkish Minister indicated that Schroeder was arrested as part of Operation Cage 25. He pledged that Turkey would not allow international organized crime groups and drug traffickers who disturb public peace to breathe, and would put them all in cages one by one.

He stressed that this campaign indicates Turkey's commitment to combating transnational criminal networks and ensuring public safety, praising the efforts of the law enforcement forces participating in the operation.

Yerlikaya said the police also confiscated money, branded watches, mobile phones, SIM cards, passports and identity cards issued under different names.

How can anyone forget that cold evening of December 27, 2007 in Rawalpindi, when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated, especially the journalists who covered the incident.

We were busy in our office in Islamabad with our routine coverage of the final stages of the election campaign for the January elections when news came that firing had taken place at an election rally in Rawat. It was reported that there was firing at the rally of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Islamabad Expressway, resulting in four deaths.

He sent his fellow reporter Shehzad Malik to Kraal Chowk to cover the incident. After a while, the news came that after the end of the meeting of the chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party, Benazir Bhutto, there was also firing. Then the news of Benazir's injury started to be received, so I thought that the news is big and should be released immediately.

When they reached Murree Road, the main highway of Rawalpindi from Islamabad, it was dark and people had come out on the streets to protest. In places, stick-wielding men were ruling the streets and were engaged in vandalism.

He could go in the car till Shamsabad area, it was not possible to go further, so he parked the car on one side and started trying to reach the central or general hospital of Rawalpindi on foot, where he heard that the injured Benazir had been brought for rescue. He also spoke to the angry people who described it as another big tragedy for the country and democracy.

Murree Road was ruled by angry mobs and policemen were nowhere to be seen.

On reaching the hospital, Benazir Bhutto's death was confirmed. A flood of PPP workers and leaders also came there. Benazir was taken to the operating room on the first floor where the corridor was filled with female party leaders, who were crying profusely.

I remember that even the hospital staff could not get into Benazir's room, so some were brought in by ladders at the back of the building.   

After getting the information about this incident, Mian Nawaz Sharif reached the hospital and it was feared that Jayale will attack Nawaz Sharif and his associates, but Jayale kept crying hugging Nawaz Sharif.

After several hours, Khaki's body was brought down in a brown coffin. At that time, the chanting and crying of the Jayalas continued.

That bloody evening had turned into a long night. I kept on reporting the incident minute by minute outside the Rawalpindi General Hospital till late at night until Bibi's body was sent to Khaki Hospital.

There was no arrangement at the time for the hospital administration to brief the media, so that night everyone reported that the death was due to gunshot wounds. It was later revealed by the investigation that the cause of death was not the bullets of the suicide bombers or the shrapnel of the suicide bomber, but the lever of the roof of his car.

The People's Party apparently puts the responsibility on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan's Baitullah Mehsud and their audio conversation about this was also made public in a press conference, but who was the real power behind this tragedy? People's Party does not speak openly even today.