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A major drug-related investigation in Istanbul has expanded to include a well-known reality television personality, as "Survivor 2026" All Star contestant Baris Murat Yagci was taken into custody at an airport after returning from abroad.
Turkish authorities detained Yagci under an existing arrest warrant issued while he was outside the country, marking a new phase in a probe that has already drawn widespread public attention.
The investigation is being led by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, which is pursuing allegations connected to drug manufacturing and trafficking, facilitating the use of narcotics, and the purchase, possession, or use of drugs for personal consumption.
According to the case file, Yagci had been abroad when the warrant was issued, and he was therefore detained immediately upon his arrival at the Istanbul Airport earlier today.
The inquiry had already made headlines after several public figures were briefly detained in earlier stages of the case. Those taken into custody included comedian Hasan Can Kaya, musician Yusuf Aktas, known by the stage name Reynmen, rapper Emirhan Cakal, and social media personalities Berkcan Guven and Firat Yayla, among others.
After undergoing medical examinations, the suspects provided blood and hair samples at the Forensic Medicine Institute, a state body responsible for scientific evidence analysis. They were later released, although a court imposed judicial control measures that included a ban on leaving the country, a legal restriction commonly used in Türkiye while investigations remain ongoing.
As the investigation widened, prosecutors issued arrest warrants for several individuals who were confirmed to be outside Türkiye at the time. In addition to Yagci, those listed included content creators Enes Batur Sungurtekin and Kemal Can Parlak, as well as Ecenaz Ucer, Yaren Alaca, Nisa Bolukbasi, and others.
Authorities also stated that one suspect, Ibrahim Tilaver, would be taken into custody following hospital treatment, while another individual, Eray Durmus, remains at large.
The prosecutor’s office has not announced any indictments so far, and the investigation is continuing.
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