Behçet Cantürk
Encyclopedia
Behçet Cantürk was a Turkish
mob boss, who was involved in the Susurluk scandal
.
Behçet's father was named Reşit.
Starting in 1975, Cantürk became a partner of some smugglers by providing money for them. In 1975, he participated in organizing the protest rally in Lice, Diyarbakır
held by the Progressive Youth Association
(İGD) and financially supported the rally.
In the same year, he received a medical report through bribes from Konya Military Hospital certifying that he was not suitable for military service.
In 1977 he started arms trafficking.
Between 1981 and 1983, he was involved in the smuggling of gold and diamonds with the help of jewelers of Armenian and Syriac origin in the Grand Bazaar
of İstanbul. In 1983, when Dündar Kılıç
and İsmail Hacısüleymanoğlu started to put pressure on the non-Muslim and Diyarbakır-born jewelers in the Grand Bazaar in order to take control of gold and diamonds smuggling, he organized the bombing and an armed attack carried out by ASALA in the Grand Bazaar.
As of 1983, he was controlling the heroin market in Diyarbakır and sale of heroin abroad.
On June 22, 1984, he was arrested by the Military Court in Ankara
for membership of the Kurdistan Workers Party
and the Kurdistan Avantguard Workers Party.
He and Hüseyin Baybaşin
were partners in the smuggling of 3 tons of drug on the ship MV Kısmetim 1
that sunk in the Mediterranean end of December 1992.
In April 1992, along with a person named Iran
ian Hüsno, he brought 6 tons of morphine base
and 5 tons of marijuana from Pakistan
. While distributing the drugs, he chose smugglers, who supported the PKK financially.
On various dates, he collected money in the name of the PKK from drug smugglers named Savaş Buldan
, Hüseyin Erez, Hasan Erez, Cahit Kocakaya and Eyüp Kocakaya. But it was later announced that he only paid money to PKK and PKK had no relation to any drug deals. After the Ergenekon trial, some information was revealed that the Tansu Ciller government had supplied Canturk with a military helicopter to move drugs from East Turkey to West Turkey.
He was abducted by turkish police on January 14, 1994, and his corpse was found the next day in the vicinity of Sapanca
.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
mob boss, who was involved in the Susurluk scandal
Susurluk scandal
The Susurluk scandal was a scandal involving the close relationship between the Turkish government, the armed forces, and organized crime. It took place during the peak of the Turkey–Kurdistan Workers' Party conflict, in the mid-1990s...
.
Behçet's father was named Reşit.
Starting in 1975, Cantürk became a partner of some smugglers by providing money for them. In 1975, he participated in organizing the protest rally in Lice, Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
held by the Progressive Youth Association
Progressive Youth Association
The Progressive Youth Association was the youth wing of the erstwhile Communist Party of Turkey. The İGD was founded on January 5, 1976.It made close relations with trade unions and democratic mass organizations, took part in May Day celebrations, protests against DGMs and campaigns against the...
(İGD) and financially supported the rally.
In the same year, he received a medical report through bribes from Konya Military Hospital certifying that he was not suitable for military service.
In 1977 he started arms trafficking.
Between 1981 and 1983, he was involved in the smuggling of gold and diamonds with the help of jewelers of Armenian and Syriac origin in the Grand Bazaar
Grand Bazaar
Grand Bazaar may refer to:* Grand Bazaar, Esfahan* Grand Bazaar, Istanbul* Grand Bazaar, Kashgar* Grand Bazaar, Tehran* Grand Bazaar, Ürümqi...
of İstanbul. In 1983, when Dündar Kılıç
Dundar Kilic
Dündar Kılıç was an infamous mob boss and legendary figure in the Turkish underworld. He earned himself the nickname of being the 'godfather of godfathers'.- Early life and rise in underworld :...
and İsmail Hacısüleymanoğlu started to put pressure on the non-Muslim and Diyarbakır-born jewelers in the Grand Bazaar in order to take control of gold and diamonds smuggling, he organized the bombing and an armed attack carried out by ASALA in the Grand Bazaar.
As of 1983, he was controlling the heroin market in Diyarbakır and sale of heroin abroad.
On June 22, 1984, he was arrested by the Military Court in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
for membership of the Kurdistan Workers Party
Kurdistan Workers Party
The Kurdistan Workers' Party , commonly known as PKK, also known as KGK and formerly known as KADEK or KONGRA-GEL , is a Kurdish organization which has since 1984 been fighting an armed struggle against the Turkish state for an autonomous Kurdistan and greater cultural and political rights...
and the Kurdistan Avantguard Workers Party.
He and Hüseyin Baybaşin
Hüseyin Baybasin
Hüseyin Baybaşin is a Kurdish drug lord. Once described as "Europe's Pablo Escobar", he is currently serving life sentence in the Netherlands convicted of drug smuggling charges.- Rise to leadership of a drug empire :...
were partners in the smuggling of 3 tons of drug on the ship MV Kısmetim 1
Kismetim-1 incident
The Kısmetim-1 incident occurred on December 15, 1992 when members of the Turkish Narcotic Police on Turkish Navy vessels supported by US officials intercepted the MV Kısmetim-1, a Turkish ocean freighter in Mediterranean international waters. The ship was suspected of being involved in smuggling...
that sunk in the Mediterranean end of December 1992.
In April 1992, along with a person named Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian Hüsno, he brought 6 tons of morphine base
Morphine
Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
and 5 tons of marijuana from Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. While distributing the drugs, he chose smugglers, who supported the PKK financially.
On various dates, he collected money in the name of the PKK from drug smugglers named Savaş Buldan
Savas Buldan
Savaş Buldan was a Turkish citizen of Kurdish descent involved in the Susurluk scandal.He was born in Yüksekova to Şükrü Buldan .Since 1979, he carried out activities in Yüksekova in line with the PKK....
, Hüseyin Erez, Hasan Erez, Cahit Kocakaya and Eyüp Kocakaya. But it was later announced that he only paid money to PKK and PKK had no relation to any drug deals. After the Ergenekon trial, some information was revealed that the Tansu Ciller government had supplied Canturk with a military helicopter to move drugs from East Turkey to West Turkey.
He was abducted by turkish police on January 14, 1994, and his corpse was found the next day in the vicinity of Sapanca
Sapanca
Sapanca is a town and district of Sakarya Province in the Marmara region of Turkey near the Lake Sapanca. The mayor is İbrahim Uslu .-External links:***...
.