Thursday, 10 February, 2022.
On Tuesday evening, numerous gunshots were fired at a car being driven by Murat Demirtaş. Mr Demirtaş died at the scene, his passenger, casino owner Halil Falyalı died later on in hospital. Other reports say that Mr Falyali’s wife and children were in the car behind, however, they were not injured in the attack.
In Turkey, news broadcasting channel NTV announced the latest developments, stating that three men had been arrested by Istanbul Police.
The statement said the following: “With regard to the murder of Halil Falyalı and Murat Demirtaş, as a result of an armed attack in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Girne Çatalköy on 08.02.2022, three suspects, who were considered to be related to the incident as a result of the coordination established with the TRNC Cyprus Police General Directorate, were detained by our Istanbul Police Department”.
In a separate report, Yeniduzen writes that Halil Falyalı,had been accused by self-exiled gang boss Sedat Peker of being the leader of organised crime and drug trafficking. It has been alleged that while he manages casinos and virtual betting sites in North Cyprus, billions of dollars – dark money, changes hands in the north.
Journalists and politicians who have been following events, say that the TRNC had become the backyard for Turkish mafia who were roaming the streets. There have been calls for Turkey to be included in investigations into the shootings.
Additionally, It has been reported that Falyalı, who has been receiving death threats for a long time, purchased the armoured vehicle in which his wife and children were travelling at the time of the shootings. Falyalı was travelling in the vehicle in front.
