Turkish police detained Sebahattin Sirin, leader of ultrAslan, the main Galatasaray supporters' group, on Sunday, August 9, 2026, following an investigation into him on several counts.
Officers searched his home in Istanbul from 2:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., more than eight hours in total. They found just over 840,000 euros in cash, along with gold, jewelry and a diamond necklace.
Police also found other foreign currency, including dollars, pounds sterling and Turkish lira, worth more than 300,000 euros combined, which had been hidden in the property.
Weapon and body armor discovered
The search took a further turn when officers found a working pistol, along with cartridges, empty magazines and four bulletproof vests. Sirin faced three charges: selling tickets on the black market, causing disturbances inside sports venues, and publicly spreading false information.
Clash with Turkey's justice minister
The timing of the raid has raised questions, since the day before, Sirin had attacked Akin Gurlek, Turkey's justice minister, on X. He had complained of alleged favoritism toward Fenerbahce, Galatasaray's fiercest rival.
Sirin said that rumors had reached him recently claiming that a group within the Turkish state wanted Fenerbahce to win the championship this season, and that Gurlek's name had been mentioned as part of that group.
Turkish authorities have not yet disclosed the reasons behind the raid, which comes just days before the Super Lig, Turkey's top football league, resumes.
