Major anti-drug operation, 22 people arrested, including actors and singers

A new wave of arrests has hit the Turkish showbiz world. As part of a large-scale operation codenamed against illegal substances, authorities detained 22 people in the early hours of the morning. Among the most widely discussed names reportedly taken into custody are actress Beren Saat, her husband, singer Kenan Doğulu, arranger Ozan Doğulu, and actor Enis Arıkan.

The scope of the investigation does not end there. The Narcotics Crimes Division of the Istanbul Police Department has also issued arrest warrants for several other well-known public figures. Singer Ayşe Hatun Önal, social media personality Kerimcan Durmaz, and singer Berdan Mardini are also among those ordered to be detained. After routine medical checks, the celebrities were taken to the Narcotics Directorate in the Küçükçekmece district for questioning.

This is not the first such operation to shake the Turkish public scene recently. On May 21, another similar operation targeted figures such as singer Mabel Matiz and famous actress Serenay Sarıkaya, who had blood, hair, and urine samples taken for toxicology analysis. Turkish law provides strict and separate penalties for the use, encouragement, and trafficking of narcotics, where the act of personal use is defined as purchasing, accepting, or possessing such substances.

However, these high-profile operations have sparked a major debate about human rights and public image. Many of the well-known figures who have gone through such investigations argue that their reputations have been severely damaged and that the principle of presumption of innocence has been violated in the public eye. They also point out that in many similar past cases, drug tests on VIP figures have come back completely negative.

“KORÇA BOOM”