The 3rd High Criminal Court of the eastern province of Van filed criminal complaints against the director and deputy director of Van’s Police Department, Þükrü Rafet Mert and Önder Okþar respectively, for being implicated in a criminal organization dealing with drugs.

The court took its decision after hearing testimony from Ekrem Eren Ermiþ, the Amasra district’s police chief, and from Mahmut Aydýn, who is alleged to be the leader of the criminal organization. They are being tried with other suspects caught with 170 kilograms of illegal substances in Van as part of a police operation held simultaneously in Istanbul, Bursa and Van on February 24.

The court decided to level charges against Mert and Okþar for “having consciously and willingly helped an organization with criminal purposes” and asked the prosecutor to assess the claim. During the 10-hour hearing, the court also decided to release Ermiþ pending trial without arrest, but the other suspects will remain in detention.