Anex Tour owner Neshet Kochkar has been detained in Antalya, Turkey, as part of an investigation into drug distribution and prostitution.
Turkish aviation news outlet Haber Aero reported that police officers apprehended Kochkar in connection with alleged drug sales and the organization of prostitution rings operating at local hotels and on board marine vessels.
A total of 18 people have been taken into custody so far during the police operation in Antalya. Turkish authorities confirmed that law enforcement officers are actively searching for two additional suspects linked to the case who remain at large.
Those detained alongside Kochkar include Serkan Temuchin, the former deputy secretary general of the Antalya municipality, along with several prominent business owners representing a variety of commercial sectors across the region.
Commercial Assets in Antalya
Beyond his ownership of tour operator Anex Tour, Kochkar maintains significant commercial holdings in the Turkish tourism and aviation sectors. He owns the Selectum hotel chain as well as Mavi Gok Airlines, a passenger airline based in Antalya.
Anex Tour is a major tour operator providing travel services and vacation packages across Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Mediterranean region. The company manages charter flights, resort bookings and local transportation for millions of international holidaymakers every year.
Antalya is a coastal city on the Mediterranean in southwestern Turkey that functions as the central hub of the nation's tourism industry. The province hosts millions of foreign visitors each summer, relying heavily on large holiday operators, luxury resort hotel networks and regional air carriers.
Mavi Gok Airlines operates passenger charter flights out of Antalya Airport to connect Turkish resort destinations with international travel markets. Selectum Hotels and Resorts operates high-end luxury properties designed to accommodate vacationing international tourists throughout the Mediterranean region.
Turkish law enforcement officials are continuing their ongoing investigation into the alleged hotel and vessel vice network while police operations continue to locate the two missing suspects.
