A 49-year-old Turkish national has been arrested in Thessaloniki on an outstanding Interpol warrant issued by Turkish authorities. The man had been sentenced to a lengthy prison term by a Turkish court for participation in a criminal organisation.
Police, acting on a tip-off, located and arrested the suspect on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the prosecution documents, the 49-year-old was sentenced by the Istanbul High Criminal Court to 20 years in prison for participating in a criminal group that forced debtors to pay debts to creditors, using threats, intimidation, coercion, fear and violence. The specific acts, according to the same documents, were committed in Istanbul.
Turkish judicial authorities are requesting his extradition to serve the remainder of a sentence of 15 years and 10 months.
The 49-year-old was taken to the Thessaloniki Appeals Prosecutor's Office at noon to initiate the procedures regarding the Turkish request. He reportedly denies the charges, claiming that he is being persecuted "politically", while stating that he has applied for asylum in Greece. It was decided that he remain in detention until the competent Judicial Council issues an opinion on the issue of his extradition.