Turkey requests UAE to extradite mob boss, Sedat Peker, after Interpol arrest warrant

Turkey has, again, made a request to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to arrest and extradite the Turkish mobster, Sedat Peker, who last year made a series of scandalous revelations regarding corruption cases and crimes committed by some Turkish officials.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Turkish Ministry of Justice made the request to Abu Dhabi this week for the second time, after Ankara issued its first request in June last year. This request came weeks after the international policing organisation, Interpol, issued an arrest warrant for Peker on 1 February.

Interpol’s red notice against the mobster was notified to both the Istanbul Anatolian Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Bursa Public Prosecutor’s Office, which were informed that there was a strong suspicion of criminal activities related to “establishing organisations for the purpose of committing crimes” and “the crime of looting by taking advantage of the frightening powers created by the presumed criminal organisation.”

That investigation and decision taken by Interpol was reportedly due to the complaint by Yusuf Aktaş, the founder and owner of a popular meatball restaurant chain named Köfteci Yusuf.

According to the paper, the Daily Sabah, Aktaş pressed charges against a group of individuals who were attempting to sell a slaughterhouse in Turkey’s western Afyonkarahisar province above its original market price and who tried to forcefully take over his restaurant chain by force. That group also claimed that they had relations with Peker, which the mobster has denied.

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After being released in 2014 from imprisonment in Turkey, and formerly a supporter of the government led by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) with close ties to ministers, Peker turned against it last year and began unleashing a series of devastating allegations against top officials and businessmen.

His YouTube videos drew the attention of tens of millions of Turkish viewers, revealing allegations of corruption, narcotics smuggling, money laundering and arms shipments related to former and current government figures.

Among some of the most serious allegations were those accusing the son of former Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim, of being part of an international drug trafficking scheme and a private military company led by a close advisor to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan having transported arms to former Syrian militant group Jabhat Al-Nusra. Amongst other prominent names who still serve in the government was Interior Minister, Suleyman Soylu.

Peker was then identified as being located in Dubai, and was diplomatically pursued by Ankara, which reportedly offered to swap captured Emirati spies for the extradition of the mob boss. Despite being taken in for questioning by Emirati authorities, he was released and allowed to remain in the UAE, on the condition that he refrain from continuing to post videos. Since last summer, he has not released any new videos of his revelations.

Since then, however, relations between Ankara and Abu Dhabi have improved significantly, with reconciliation process taking place over the past six months and a number of investment deals having been signed. Amid the improved relations, there is speculation on whether those ties are strong enough to prompt the UAE to hand over Peker to Turkey.

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