Accused of drug trafficking, casino tycoon Halil Falyalı assassinated in Northern Cyprus

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Known as a "betting and casino tycoon" in Northern Cyprus, businessperson Halil Falyalı lost his life late yesterday (February 8) in an armed assault near his house.

Multiple perpetrators fired automatic weapons at his car in Çatalköy village in the Girne (Kyrenia) city, according to reports in the Northern Cyprus media.

Seriously injured in the attack, Falyalı was taken to Near East University Hospital but lost his life despite all efforts. Doctors stated that his heart had stopped after the attack and he could not be saved because of the wounds he incurred.

Falyalı's chauffeur lost his life on the scene. His spouse and children, who were in another car behind, were unscathed after the attack.

The Northern Cyprus police carried out a series of operations after the assassination. One person was taken into custody.

Sedat Peker videos

Sedat Peker, an exiled mob boss who released a series of video confessions in mid-2021, had described Falyalı as a key figure in cocaine trafficking between Colombia and Turkey.

He had also been investigated by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Peker said in a video he released in May 2021.

Falyalı had admitted the DEA investigation but denied involvement in any illegal business.

Court cases against Falyalı

In 2010, Falyalı stood trial and was put on remand on the charge of "threat." He was later released.

He was also remanded in custody in October on charges of "battery," "robbery" and "false imprisonment."

According to the allegations, Falyalı forced an employee of his casino whom he accused of stealing money from the safe to sign a trust deed. The man was abducted and beaten.

After an arrest warrant was issued against him, Falyalı and three people with him turned themselves in. He was initially put on remand for three days and it was later extended to 70 days. On October 20, newspapers in Northern Cyprus reported that Falyalı was hospitalized because of a heart condition.

Falyalı and his three men were released in December after the plaintiffs withdrew the lawsuit.

There was also an ongoing case against Falyalı in the US.

"Politicians protected him"

Mustafa Akıncı, the former president of Norhtern Cyprus, said after Peker's claims that Falyalı was "protected" by his allied politicians, the ruling National Unity Party (UBP).

"Everyone knows that he supports UBP with all his financial means in elections at all levels. It is also known that there are allegations that Halil Falyalı has connections with various dirty and illegal relations," Akıncı had said.

Blackmailing

After Falyalı's reported release to the hospital, journalist Erk Acarer claimed that he had a massive archive containing "inappropriate videos" of bureaucrats and politicians he used them to blackmail those people.

Acarer said Northern Cyprus PM Ersan Saner was among them and he had seen a video of him. (HA/VK)