MERSİN – Anadolu Agency

New raids as part of a fresh graft investigation were conducted Jan. 10 in the eastern Mediterranean province of Mersin, with 35 people, including 10 customs officers, being taken into custody.

The probe was launched six months ago upon a complaint received by Trade and Customs Minister Hayati Yazıcı, a statement from the ministry said. It added that the operation was conducted by the ministry’s Customs Protection on Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate after it was determined that six customs inspectors and four other officials were bribed by 25 people working in transportation companies.

The home and work addresses of the suspects were also searched.

Mersin is a major center of trade that is home to the country’s largest port, as well as a free trade area.

The fresh graft operation come after 23 people were detained in raids on the Port of İzmir Jan. 7 and charged with alleged fraud. The brother-in-law of ex-Transport Minister Binali Yıldırım has also been interrogated.

The operation comes as the government attempts to fight off a large corruption scandal that has implicated four ministers and their close circles. The government responded to the graft allegations by orchestrating a massive purge in the police forces and moving to increase its control over the judiciary.

January/10/2014