Turkish authorities have detained 28 suspects and appointed supervisory trustees to 13 companies as part of a sweeping investigation into alleged price manipulation and anti-competitive practices in the country's poultry sector, officials said Friday.
The investigation, coordinated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, was launched following public complaints, reports and allegations regarding recent increases in poultry prices and their impact on consumers.
According to prosecutors, authorities are examining whether several poultry companies and their executives coordinated pricing, supply and sales policies in a manner that distorted market conditions and harmed consumers.
The Organized Crime Investigation Bureau found strong indications that some company officials may have acted together to influence price formation in the sector, potentially undermining fair competition and disrupting the free market system.
As part of the probe, simultaneous operations were carried out in Istanbul, Ankara, Balıkesir, Bolu, Bursa, Izmir, Samsun and Uşak. Authorities executed detention warrants, searches and seizure orders against company executives and other suspects.
