Politics · Turkey · 19 hrs ago
Former Bayraklı mayor and son among 15 jailed in municipal inquiry
Authorities in İzmir are investigating alleged wrongdoing involving Bayraklı Municipality and its company, BAYBEL.
The inquiry includes allegations of bribery, rigged tenders and forming a criminal organization.
It followed a 2025 audit that reportedly found irregularities in some BAYBEL contracts and direct purchases from 2024.
Prosecutors said their financial review found an alleged public loss of about 20.1 million lira in 2023 and 2024, and payments totaling about 4.6 million lira that they described as bribes to municipal staff.
Police detained 47 of 48 people sought in operations across several Turkish provinces.
A court ordered 15 people held in custody, including former Bayraklı mayor Serdar Sandal and his son; 22 others were placed under judicial controls and the rest were released.
Prosecutors say the investigation is continuing.
Fifteen people were jailed in a Bayraklı Municipality investigation in İzmir, including former mayor Serdar Sandal and his son Yağız Sandal.
The investigation concerns alleged organized crime, bribery and rigging of tenders involving the municipality and its subsidiary BAYBEL AŞ.
Authorities said 47 of the 48 people facing arrest warrants were detained.
Of those 47, 22 were placed under judicial control, four were released by a court and six were released by prosecutors, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The prosecutor’s office said the investigation is continuing.
- Who
- Fifteen people, including former Bayraklı Mayor Serdar Sandal and his son Yağız Sandal, were jailed.
- What
- The detentions followed an investigation into alleged organized crime, bribery and rigging of tenders involving Bayraklı Municipality and BAYBEL AŞ.
- When
- The operation took place on Tuesday; the reports were published on October 9, 2026.
- Where
- Bayraklı Municipality and its subsidiary BAYBEL AŞ in İzmir, Turkey; operations were also reported in other provinces.
- Why
- The investigation followed audit findings alleging irregularities in BAYBEL AŞ tenders and public losses, alongside alleged bribery.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Soruşturma titizlikle ve çok yönlü olarak sürdürülmektedir
The Court of Accounts audited BAYBEL AŞ’s finances and identified alleged irregularities in some 2024 tenders and direct procurements.
Police conducted simultaneous operations in multiple provinces as part of the investigation.
The prosecutor’s office said 15 suspects had been jailed, 22 placed under judicial control, four released by a court and six released by prosecutors.
- Jailed
- 15 people
- Arrest warrants
- 48 suspects
- Detained
- 47 suspects
- Judicial control
- 22 suspects
- Alleged public loss
- 20,085,188 lira and 5 kuruş during 2023–2024
- Alleged bribe payments
- 4,625,400 lira
Sources
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