ISTANBUL, Oct 23, (Xinhua): Turkish security forces on Thursday detained 42 suspects in simultaneous operations across nine provinces in a crackdown on an organized crime network whose leaders are based abroad, the country's interior minister said.

The operations, based in Istanbul and carried out in coordination with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, targeted suspects accused of involvement in serious crimes, including murder, assault, threats, extortion, and armed attacks on businesses, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media.

The raids were jointly conducted by the Istanbul Provincial Security Directorate's Intelligence and Anti-Organized Crime units in Istanbul, Adana, Samsun, Siirt, Kocaeli, Ankara, Izmir, Tekirdag, and Aydin provinces, Yerlikaya added. A preliminary investigation has revealed that the suspects allegedly used stolen vehicles or motorcycles and concealed their identities with masks while committing the crimes.

An investigation into the suspects and the transnational structure of the organization is ongoing. Türkiye has intensified its nationwide crackdown on organized crime in recent years, carrying out large-scale operations to dismantle criminal networks.