ISTANBUL, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish authorities on Wednesday detained 23 municipal officials, including an Istanbul district mayor, in two separate anti-corruption operations targeting alleged irregularities in local administrations.
In Istanbul's Uskudar district, police detained six suspects, including District Mayor Sinem Dedetas.
The operation was launched by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office as part of an investigation into alleged bribery and extortion linked to the issuance of construction and occupancy permits.
Separately, in the western province of Usak, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office ordered the detention of 17 municipal officials in a coordinated operation. The suspects are accused of fraudulently registering individuals as employees of Usak Municipality's subsidiary companies to obtain social security benefits.
Authorities said the scheme has cost the public an estimated 16.86 million Turkish liras (about 360,000 U.S. dollars). ■
