Turkey detains 85 gang members linked to Russian-ordered Starlink arson in Poland

Turkish law enforcement has apprehended 85 potential members of the criminal group Daltons, including 35 juveniles, according to a report by T24. The nationwide operation spanned 30 provinces, including Istanbul. The Daltons are a prominent organized crime syndicate with operations in Turkey, Germany, and various European nations.

They are accused of engaging in activities such as extortion, racketeering, arms trafficking, and contract killings. Earlier this year, the group was under investigation for allegedly ordering the arson of a Starlink station in Poland, believed to have been directed by Russian intelligence services. Investigators discovered that several members of the group, active in both Turkey and abroad, were recruited via social media and directed through WhatsApp groups.

Two Turkish nationals, identified as Ümit E., 38, and Müslüm T., 34, were detained on October 12 in Nürtingen, Baden-Württemberg, at the request of Polish authorities. Polish investigators suspect the pair of involvement in the Starlink arson. Both individuals may be connected to the Daltons or have been hired by members of the gang.

The Starlink station in Poland's Masovian Voivodeship caught fire on September 23, with the facility partly used to support communications for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Daltons founder and suspected leader Beratcan Gökdemir was detained in Russia in 2024, but German intelligence officials claim Russian authorities later released him and granted him protection, rendering his current whereabouts unknown.