A fresh wave of mafia-style shootings in Turkey has once again cast a spotlight on fugitive crime boss Sedat Peker, who has been living abroad for several years. Despite being the subject of arrest warrants circulated through INTERPOL and facing multiple criminal charges in Turkey, Peker remains outside the reach of Turkish law enforcement. From his base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he is widely alleged to continue directing loyal operatives and settling scores in Turkey’s criminal underworld.

The most recent incident occurred in September 2025 in Gölcük, where Süleyman Yasin Akdeniz, known by the nickname “Hacı,” was shot in both legs. The attack bore the hallmarks of a calculated warning rather than a spontaneous act of violence. Akdeniz had reportedly fallen out with Peker and had published images of handwritten letters attributed to him, moves that allegedly embarrassed the fugitive boss and challenged his authority. The leg shooting – a common tactic in Turkey’s criminal ecosystem – appeared designed to silence and intimidate without immediately provoking the full legal and political repercussions of a homicide.

This incident fits into a broader pattern that observers say has emerged since Peker left Turkey. Roughly a dozen violent acts, including two fatal shootings, have reportedly been linked to individuals associated with him. Many of the victims were former allies, rivals or outspoken critics. In Turkey’s underworld culture, such attacks serve not only to punish but also to send a message: reputational dominance is everything.

Peker’s name carries particular weight because of his long and complicated history. Emerging in the 1990s as a powerful........

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