ISTANBUL, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police detained 43 people on Tuesday in a multi-province operation targeting a cryptocurrency network used to finance the Islamic State (IS) group, said the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
Coordinated raids were carried out across 16 provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya, following a six-month investigation by anti-terrorism units and the Financial Crimes Investigation Board, it said.
The network used 19 cryptocurrency wallet addresses to collect and transfer about 170,000 U.S. dollars between 2021 and 2025, the office added. The addresses were shared on extremist Telegram channels under the guise of humanitarian aid for families in Syrian detention camps.
Security forces also seized digital evidence and documents during the operation, it said, adding that police are still searching for six other suspects.
Türkiye officially designated IS as a terrorist organization in 2013 and has since been targeted by the group in multiple attacks. In response, Ankara has launched frequent nationwide operations against IS in recent years. ■
