Turkish authorities have detained 85 suspected members of the Daltons (Daltonlar) criminal group, including 35 minors. The law enforcement operation spanned 30 provinces, including Istanbul, according to a report by local online newspaper T24. Earlier in October, the group was reported to be under investigation in connection with the arson of a Starlink station in Poland carried out on behalf of Russian intelligence services.
According to T24, investigators found that members of the group, which operates both in Turkey and abroad, were recruited through social media and then received further instructions through WhatsApp groups.
As Der Spiegel reported, two Turkish nationals — 38-year-old Ümit E. and 34-year-old Müslüm T. — were detained on Oct. 12 in Nürtingen, in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, at Poland’s request. Polish authorities suspect the men of involvement in the Starlink station arson. Law enforcement sources in several countries said the two either belong to the Daltons or were hired by members of the gang.
The Starlink station in Poland’s Masovian Voivodeship caught fire on Sept. 23. The site is used in part to support communications for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Daltons are a major organized crime group active in Turkey, Germany, and other parts of Europe. They are involved in extortion, racketeering, arms trafficking, and contract killings. The group’s suspected leader, Beratcan Gökdemir, was detained in Russia in 2024. Turkey sought his extradition, but German intelligence officials said Russian authorities later released him and placed him under their protection. His current whereabouts are unknown.
