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Istanbul dismantled 27% more crime gangs in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period in 2024, while shooting incidents dropped 46%, the city's governor said.
Davut Gul, the Istanbul governor, stated that operations against organized crime groups increased by 12% year-over-year, resulting in the apprehension and transfer of 1,341 individuals to justice.
"Assets worth ₺296 billion ($7 billion) were seized," Gul said on Wednesday at a monthly security data evaluation meeting at the governorate building in Fatih.
Gul said the determined fight against urban criminals resulted in shooting incidents declining 46% compared to the same period last year.
Gul said crimes against persons decreased 9% in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period last year, while the clearance rate rose to 99.4%.
Crimes against property declined 23.5% with a clearance rate of 91.3%, Gul said. Purse snatching, car theft, pickpocketing and motorcycle theft have nearly halved, he said.
"These figures show that the city's present is more peaceful than its past," Gul said.
"The rate of apprehending individuals wanted for various crimes for years is increasing every day. Cleaning these people with crime potential from our streets and handing them over to justice means our tomorrow will be more peaceful than today," he noted.
Gul said authorities are fighting unlicensed weapons with determination, saying: "In the first nine months of this year, the number of unlicensed weapons seized increased 21% compared to the same period in 2024, and the number of people arrested increased 140%."
"These weapons are used in the vast majority of gun crimes. Therefore, those who carry, possess, and trade these weapons should know very well that this is a crime and it has a penalty," Gul said.
The Istanbul governor said operations targeting drug manufacturing and trade increased 15% in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period last year, noting, "The amount of drug pills seized doubled. The amount of cannabis exceeded three times, reaching 25,667 roots."
"Inspections in cafes, parks, and gardens around our schools continue to increase," Gul stated.
Gul noted that the fight against drugs and substance addiction cannot be dealt with only by police measures, emphasizing that the greatest power in the fight against drugs is social awareness.
Istanbul's governor stated that the amount of fake and smuggled alcohol seized in the first nine months of this year exceeded twice that of the same period last year.
From electronic goods to tobacco, from historical artifacts to fuel, nearly ₺2 billion ($47.9 million) in tax losses were prevented through the seizure of smuggled products, he said.
Gul noted that preventing financing of terrorist and organized crime groups through smuggling revenues and blocking products that threaten citizens' health from being marketed are key goals.
He finally asked citizens not to buy or consume illegal, fake, or smuggled products and to report them.
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