On 16 July, the Turkish authorities carried out a new phase of a major anti-drugs operation in Turkey targeting well-known figures, with arrest warrants issued for 25 celebrities, including the singers Sıla Gençoğlu and İlyas Yalçıntaş, as well as the well-known Turkish producer Fatih Aksoy. The suspects are allegedly accused of using narcotic drugs, providing venues for their use and promoting their use.
As part of the investigation launched by the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in Bakırköy (Istanbul), arrest warrants have been issued in the last few hours against 25 prominent figures from Turkish society and the worlds of culture and business. According to the Turkish news channel NTV, citing sources within the public prosecutor’s office, those arrested include the singer Sıla Gençoğlu, the owner of MED Yapım – the production company behind famous Turkish films and Turkish TV series such as Original Sin (Yasak Elma), Woman (Kadın) and Unfaithful (Sadakatsiz) — Mehmet Fatih Aksoy, and the singer İlyas Yalçıntaş.
The list of detained suspects known so far is as follows:
- Akın Altan — hospitality entrepreneur
- Asude Mercan — businesswoman
- Ateş İnce — producer
- Aybüke Alber — singer
- Ayşe Nur Balcı — influencer
- Buğra Balkaya — entrepreneur
- Burak Çelik — actor
- Büşra Tatar (Canbaz) — influencer
- Cenk Çöteli — hospitality entrepreneur
- Feyza Cihan — influencer
- Hilal Zeynep Hedbe — businesswoman
- İlyas Yalçıntaş — singer
- İrem Haznedar — influencer
- Kübra Altay — influencer
- Mehmet Fatih Aksoy — producer
- Melis Selçukoğlu — influencer
- Oğuz Alp Güler — businessman
- Orhan Yıldız — businessman
- Öner Faruk Işık — businessman
- Sıla Gençoğlu — singer
- Şefik Ömer Dolman — businessman
- Ümit Aslan — businessman
- Volkan Büyükhanlı — businessman
In a statement, the public prosecutor’s office in charge of the investigation noted that “as part of the fight against drug trafficking, which threatens public health and safety, an investigation carried out by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has uncovered evidence supporting a reasonable suspicion that suspects publicly known as artists, actors, businesspeople and hospitality industry figures consumed drugs and stimulants, facilitated their consumption or provided venues for the use of narcotics”.
“For this reason, the Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command has been instructed to proceed, on 16 July 2026, with the detention, search, collection of biological samples and taking of statements from 25 suspects, with a view to subsequently bringing them before the public prosecutor’s office,” the statement concluded.
Singer İlyas Yalçıntaş denies that drugs were found at his home
12 suspects whose interrogations were concluded at the Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command have undergone medical examinations in recent hours at the Seyrantepe Hamidiye Etfal University Hospital; following these routine checks, they were transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine to have blood and hair samples taken.
According to the Turkish press, during the search of the home of the singer İlyas Yalçıntaş, a precision scale and materials believed to be used for the consumption of substances were allegedly found. However, the singer has responded to these allegations via his social media accounts, asserting that no drugs of any kind were found at his home, whilst noting that he did not consider it appropriate to provide further details whilst the legal proceedings are ongoing.
“Contrary to what some reports claim, no illegal substances were found at my home. The precision scales mentioned in those reports are a completely legal and commonly used kitchen scale that I use to monitor my calorie intake and nutrition, and which is in plain sight on my kitchen worktop.” Expressing his full confidence in the legal process, Yalçıntaş said he was confident that “the truth will come to light as soon as possible, and I hope for common sense and understanding from the public until the proceedings are concluded”.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has carried out numerous anti-drug operations since an initial wave of arrests on 8 October 2025 targeted numerous singers, influencers and actors from Turkish TV series, sparking a major scandal in Turkey given that they were well-known public figures. Since then, there have been further detentions of celebrities in recent months, many of whom have been released after providing hair and blood samples, although in some cases they have been ordered to be remanded in custody.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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