Ökkeş Taş, who is alleged to have received 2 million 100 thousand Euros from the money coming after Selim Tayşi, the son of the suspect Selim Tayşi, who was detected and arrested while trying to enter our country with the significant amount of money in his possession, was brought back to court yesterday.
Police sergeant Yahya Suiçmez, who gave sworn testimony in the court, reported the facts. The police stated that the suspect Ökkeş Taş was involved in the crime of acting in violation of the Prevention of Laundering Proceeds of Crime Law. Police officer Mehmet Davulcu, who gave sworn testimony at the court, reported the facts.
After Selim Tayşi (E-60, Operator), who entered the TRNC from Ercan Airport at 21.31 on 06.08.2022, declared that he brought 800 thousand Euros with the passenger to the Ercan Customs Branch for ‘Investment Purposes’. The subject matter he explained, during the investigation, the statements of the person were considered suspicious, and it was determined that there were two more statements made on 31.07.2022 with an explanation of 500,000 Euros “for establishing a business” and 600,000 Euros on 01.08.2022 with an explanation of “I intend to invest”.
Selim Tayşi did not give a reasonable explanation about the fate of these moneys which he declared to the TRNC, and stated that he acted in violation of the Currency Exchange Law and the Prevention of Laundering of Proceeds of Crime Law numbered 4/2008. Police said that Selim Tayşi (E- 28), who entered the TRNC from Ercan Airport in Nicosia between 09.01.2022 and 14.07.2022, as a passenger, was accused of “Contrary to the Currency Exchange Law and Violation of the Law No. 4/2008 on the Prevention of Laundering of Proceeds of Crime.
Upon the request and instruction of his father Selim Tayşi (E-60), who is still imprisoned for “movement crimes”, he should have reported the amount of over 10,000 Euros to the Customs Authorities, but he did not declare the 150,000 Euros he had with him to the Customs Authorities at Ercan Airport. He stated that he acted contrary to the Currency Exchange Law.
The police informed the court that the suspect confessed to his crime in his voluntary statement and handed over the total of 2 million 100 thousand Euros he brought to the TRNC to the suspect Ökkeş Taş, and they also determined this issue from the security records.
The police said that the suspect gave a clear statement and said that he saw Selim Tayşi at the airport and took two envelopes that he did not know what was inside and gave them to the person working next to him. The police said that the suspect Ökkeş Taş was arrested as per the court order and the investigation is continuing.
The police stated that it was determined that the money brought by the father and son to the TRNC was 30 million Euros. The police, stating that the investigation is continuing, demanded that the suspect be detained for 2 days, saying that they are wanted persons and that there are statements that need to be taken.
Evaluating the testimony given in his presence, Judge Hazal Hacımulla ordered the suspect to be detained for 2 days so that the investigation could be conducted safely.