The Turkish authorities have detained a number of prominent stars from the art and sports world, including actors Aras Bulut İynemli and Melis Sezen, and rapper Sefo, as part of an investigation conducted by the public prosecutor’s office in the Bakirkoy district of Istanbul regarding suspicions linked to drug use or facilitating its use.
On Friday, September 18, 2026, the prosecutor's office issued orders to take action against 18 individuals, including actors, singers, sports figures, media personalities, and content creators on social media platforms.
According to the prosecutor's statement reported by Turkish media, the orders followed the emergence of what the prosecution described as "evidence supporting the existence of reasonable suspicion" concerning drug or stimulant consumption, facilitation of its use, or providing venues for its use.
These measures do not mean that the suspicions against those investigated have been confirmed, nor have any judicial decisions been issued against any of them as of yet.
Inspections and Biological Examinations
The prosecutor’s office tasked the Istanbul Gendarmerie with executing the detention orders, conducting searches, and subjecting those under investigation to biological tests, as well as taking their statements before presenting their files to the prosecutor’s office.
The detainees, after completing the preliminary procedures, were moved to the forensic medicine institution to take the necessary samples. The authorities have not yet announced the results of the tests, the type of substances being investigated, or the nature of the evidence attributed to each individual.
Stars of Drama and Music
The list of those under investigation includes some of Turkey's most famous drama stars, notably Aras Bulut İynemli, known for his roles in the series "The Pit," "Inside," and "The Magnificent Century," alongside Melis Sezen, the star of "The Betrayer," and Nilperi Şahinkaya, Melisa Şenolsun, and Afra Saraçoğlu.
The list also includes rapper Seyfullah Sağır, known artistically as "Sefo," singer Anil Durmus, content creator and actress Melis Işiten, and model Yeliz Yeşilmen.
The list also mentioned former international football player Hasan Şaş, who played for Galatasaray and the Turkish national team, along with journalist and sports commentator Yağız Sabuncuoğlu.
The rest of the names in the list are: Hande Demir, Aydan Osmanli, Mehmet Kahyaoglu, Aytach Kart, Sayat Zornaci, Ayub Jan Berlanta, and Refaat Atli.
Afra Saraçoğlu Outside Turkey
Despite being listed among the 18 individuals subject to orders, actress Afra Saraçoğlu was not actually detained due to her being abroad on a previously scheduled business trip.
Saraçoğlu, in a statement posted on her social media account, said she learned of her inclusion in the investigation through the media, confirming her intent to return to Turkey as soon as possible to cooperate with the authorities and provide her statement.
She added that she is confident that the details of the case will become clear, without discussing the content of the suspicions or providing additional details about them.
The latest information published indicated that 15 out of the 18 individuals in this case have been detained, while it was not feasible to carry out procedures against three individuals. The prosecution has not officially announced the names of the other two who were not among the detained.
Five Before the Prosecutor
The prosecutor’s office later informed that five of those involved in the investigation would be presented to it after completing forensic procedures, specifically actress Nilperi Şahinkaya, former football player Hasan Şaş, Sayat Zornaci, Aytach Kart, and Mehmet Kahyaoglu.
As for the other ten detainees, they were released after taking biological samples and completing forensic procedures, but the investigation into the case continues.
