ISTANBUL, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police on Tuesday detained 22 municipal officials as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged bribery and corruption, authorities said.
The Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said a simultaneous operation was carried out at the residences of suspects working for the municipality in the Sile district.
The suspects are accused of "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime," as well as extortion, bribery and bid rigging.
In July, six other Sile Municipality officials, including Mayor Ozgur Kabadayi, were taken into custody on similar charges.
The detentions are part of a broader series of law enforcement operations launched earlier this year targeting alleged corruption within local administrations in Istanbul and other provinces.
Since March, authorities have carried out multiple operations focusing on municipalities run by the main opposition Republican People's Party, detaining dozens of officials and mayors.
The detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu drew widespread attention and fueled political debate across the country. Turkish authorities have said the investigations are conducted in accordance with the law and are not politically motivated, while opposition figures have criticized the operations. ■