ISTANBUL, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Turkish authorities detained 55 individuals on Tuesday, including the mayor of Bursa, a major industrial hub in northwestern Türkiye, in a sweeping anti-corruption operation.
The Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the investigation focuses on allegations that several municipal employees operated a systematic bribery scheme, reportedly approving illegal expansions of construction projects in exchange for cash and allowing buildings to exceed legal size limits.
Prosecutors said the group also faces charges of money laundering and forming a criminal organization. While 55 people are currently in custody, police are still searching for four other suspects linked to the case.
The operation follows a series of high-profile anti-graft investigations in recent years that have led to the arrests of several other Turkish mayors and municipal officials over similar allegations of zoning irregularities and financial misconduct. ■