Greek police intervene in confrontation with Turkish mafia: high-profile arrest

Sedat Sahin is a notorious Turkish mafia boss known for his close ties to nationalist MHP leader Devlet Bahceli. He heads the crime organization “Sahinler”, which is involved in violent conflicts with other mafia groups, especially the Sarallar.

Recently, Emirhan Karademir, one of Sahin’s closest associates and cousin, was arrested by Greek police on the island of Chios. This event has raised questions about possible links to a high-profile murder case in Athens, although there are reasons to believe otherwise.

Who is Emirhan Karademir?

Emirhan Karademir, a senior member of the Sahinler crime group, was previously jailed in Turkey on organized crime charges. He was released in 2017 after serving a sentence for weapons-related charges, though he was later sentenced to two years in prison in 2020 for illegal possession of firearms.

Karademir’s arrest in Greece has attracted media attention, with reports from outlets including eKathimerini and To Vima highlighting a police raid on his apartment in Chios. During the raid, authorities seized:

• A gun and ammunition

• A fake Italian passport and driver’s license

He is now charged with illegal possession of weapons and forgery of documents. His lavish lifestyle abroad, as seen on social media, includes images of him posing with long-barreled firearms. Karademir’s loyalty to Sedat Sahin is also visible – he even has a tattoo of Sahin’s face on his chest.

Investigation into links to Athens killings

Greek authorities are also investigating Karademir’s possible connection to a mass execution in Athens that left six people dead, all members of the Dalton gang, a faction once loyal to Baris Boyun. Boyun, a former associate of Sedat Sahin, is a rival of the Sarallar crime group. However, both Boyun and Sahin share a common enemy in Sarallar, making Karademir’s involvement in the Dalton killings highly unlikely.

The attack in Athens, which took place in the suburb of Artemida on September 11, 2023, shocked the region. Six Turkish nationals were gunned down in broad daylight, with eyewitnesses reporting that 100-150 bullets were fired. This brutal act has been linked to the internal conflicts of Baris Boyun and a wider mafia war that has spread across Europe.

Long-standing feud between Sahinler and Sarallar

The enmity between Sedat Sahin’s Sahinler gang and the Sarallar mafia dates back to 2004 and began with a financial dispute. It escalated in 2005 when Saral leader Huseyin Saral was murdered and in retaliation the Sarallar gang murdered Vedat Sahin, Sedat Sahin’s brother. Since then, both groups have been engaged in a violent power struggle, with allies taking sides in this deadly feud.

Baris Boyun, who was arrested in Italy earlier this year, is also involved in this conflict. According to Italian authorities, Boyun maintained close ties with Sedat Sahin, despite their occasional disagreements. Italian prosecutors even uncovered a plot by Boyun to blow up the Vadi Istanbul shopping mall, which was reportedly under Sarallar’s ​​protection. This plot shows how deep-rooted the rivalry between these criminal groups is.

Why Karademir’s Involvement in Athens is Unlikely?

While Greek authorities continue to investigate possible connections between Karademir and the Dalton gang murders, several factors point to his lack of involvement:

• Shared enemies: Both Sahin and Boyun are historical enemies of the Sarallar mafia, so it is unlikely that Karademir would target Boyun’s former associates.

• Lack of evidence: According to Greek police, no formal connection has been established so far between Karademir and the Dalton gang.

Mafia wars across Europe

The mafia landscape in Turkey and Europe has become increasingly volatile, with factions such as Sahinler, Sarallar and Boyun’s Dalton gang vying for power and control. Drug trafficking, arms smuggling and revenge killings plague not only Turkey but also countries such as Italy, France and Greece, where these organizations have expanded their influence.

Boyun’s arrest in Italy has only added more complexity to this intricate web of mafia alliances and rivalries. The Italian investigation has revealed that Boyun’s influence extends far beyond Turkey’s borders, with agents in multiple European countries. Despite his close ties to Sedat Sahin, Boyun’s internal conflict with former allies, such as the Dalton gang, has led to a series of murders that have attracted international attention.

As Greek authorities continue their investigation, one thing is certain: the mafia wars are far from over and the arrest of Emirhan Karademir may be just the beginning of a larger unraveling process.

Tensions remain high

The arrest of Emirhan Karademir is just one part of the ongoing mafia feud that extends across borders. While there are still unanswered questions about his involvement in recent murders, the long-standing rivalry between Sahinler and Sarallar remains a flashpoint in the wider mafia wars. European law enforcement agencies continue to monitor these developments, but as things stand, peace in the underworld remains elusive.