“Siper Operation” Suspect Admits Smuggling 48 Guns Into Country

The operation, conducted by the Special Investigation Branch of the Police General Directorate, resulted in the seizure of 19 pistols, magazines, and 9 live bullets. S.A. was brought before the Famagusta District Court today.

S.A. had been arrested upon entering Northern Cyprus through Famagusta Port on 22 November and was initially given a three-day detention order. Today, the court extended his detention for two more days due to the ongoing investigation.

Investigator Onur Gazinocu from the Special Investigation Branch presented the findings to the court. Gazinocu explained that phone examinations and statements from previously detained suspects H.A. and Y.S. indicated that S.A. delivered the weapons to them in Nicosia.

According to his second voluntary statement, S.A. admitted that he smuggled 48 pistols into Northern Cyprus in two shipments—20 on 1 October 2025 and 28 on 26 October 2025—by hiding them in plastic bags on the front passenger seat of the truck with license plate UL 445 at Famagusta Port.

Gazinocu noted that the verification of S.A.’s voluntary statement is ongoing, and his mobile phone has been submitted to the DATA Examination Unit under a cyber order. Some of the weapons remain in the possession of other suspects, while others have yet to be recovered.

In response to the defense attorney’s questions, Gazinocu said that although 48 guns are suspected, only 19 have been recovered so far. He requested a two-day extension of detention for the integrity of the investigation. The defense did not object but argued that the statement was obtained under duress rather than voluntarily.

The court approved the two-day detention extension.

Police learned on 31 October that a large number of pistols had been smuggled into Northern Cyprus. During the Siper Operation, 11 pistols, magazines, and 9 live bullets were seized from H.A., who was arrested. Following investigations and phone analysis, Y.S. was also detained.

Further searches on 3 November between Bostancı and Akçay led to the discovery of eight pistol parts in a ditch, recovered as evidence.

H.A. and Y.S. were held in police custody for 20 days for investigative purposes and then sent to prison on 20 November for one month. Phone examinations and statements revealed that S.A. had delivered the pistols to them in Nicosia. S.A. was arrested on 22 November at Famagusta Port with an initial three-day detention order.