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Daltonlar, one of Türkiye’s most notorious organized crime syndicates, has emerged as part of a new wave of violent gangs operating in Istanbul and beyond.
The group initially worked under fugitive mob boss Baris Boyun but split in March 2024 when Beratcan Gokdemir assumed control.
Prosecutors describe Daltonlar as a heavily armed network with clear hierarchies, assigning roles such as “motorcu” (driver), “atici” (shooter), and “joker” (backup assailant).
Safe houses rented through apps like Airbnb in Istanbul neighborhoods such as Esenyurt and Bahcelievler are used to arm new recruits with weapons, masks, and motorcycles before sending them on missions.
Indictments reveal how Daltonlar recruit teenagers as young as 15 through TikTok and other platforms.
Leaders abroad project an image of wealth by posting from luxury cars, clubs, and resorts, often with firearms on display. Young followers are lured into the syndicate with the promise of this lifestyle.
Members dedicate songs to Gokdemir, calling him “Istanbul’un sefiri” (ambassador of Istanbul) and “sokaklarin hakimi” (ruler of the streets).
Authorities say this propaganda creates admiration among vulnerable youth, who are then placed in gang houses and used in armed missions. Prosecutors liken them to “kamikaze drones” deployed without hesitation.
Daltonlar also exploit football fan groups, staging banners at stadiums to spread their name.
The syndicate’s actions have stretched across borders.
In March 2025, gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on the Iraqi Consulate in Istanbul’s Sisli district. Security sources linked the attack to Daltonlar, calling it retaliation for the arrest of gang leader Ahmet Mustafa Timo in Iraq.
In May 2025, Daltonlar were reported responsible for an armed attack on Greek intelligence officers in Thessaloniki during a surveillance operation. Greek authorities later detained six Turkish nationals.
Most recently, in August 2025, journalist Emrullah Erdinc reported that senior Daltonlar figure Caner Kocer was killed in a shooting in Spain. The syndicate has also been blamed for extortion rackets, contract killings, and cross-border drug trafficking.
The group has also remained active inside Türkiye. For instance, in October 2024, police in Bursa launched raids across four provinces after a businessman was shot and wounded in a cafe.
According to investigators, the attackers told the victim “Can Dalton sends his greetings” while demanding repayment of another man’s debt. The phrase reflected the gang’s adoption of the name “Daltonlar,” a reference to the bumbling outlaws in the Lucky Luke comics.
In fact, several police operations against the crime syndicate in Türkiye have been labeled Red Kit, the Turkish name for the comics.
Nine suspects were arrested in the operation, which police carried out using battering rams to enter safe houses.
Turkish intelligence and police have carried out international operations against Daltonlar.
In September 2024, Sinan Memi, known as “Dalton Sabo,” was detained in Poland and extradited in early 2025 along with convicted drug trafficker Atakan Avci from Bulgaria. Memi was charged in Istanbul with involvement in multiple murders and extortion cases.
In March 2025, Timo was captured in Iraq and brought back to Türkiye. Authorities later linked the Iraqi Consulate attack to his arrest.
In August 2025, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office prepared a 1,676-page indictment listing 105 suspects, including 69 in custody and 9 fugitives.
Prosecutors demanded multiple aggravated life sentences and thousands of years in prison for leaders such as Gokdemir, Memi, and Avci.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has repeatedly vowed to dismantle Daltonlar and similar groups, stating in February 2025: “No matter how big they are or where they flee, we will capture and return every single organized crime member and drug trafficker. They cannot escape us.”
Police have introduced new measures to counter motorcycle hit squads, assigning thousands of officers to monitor thefts and track gang movements.
Prosecutors argue Daltonlar aim to dominate neighborhoods in Istanbul by instilling fear, extorting businesses, and conducting armed attacks against rivals.
Despite the arrests and indictments, officials warn that the syndicate’s use of social media and its appeal to young recruits remain an ongoing threat.
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