Istanbul police seized jewelry and antiques worth an estimated $30 million from businesses in the city’s historic Grand Bazaar during an investigation into smuggled diamonds, Turkish media reported on Wednesday.
The operation was launched after ten suspects were initially detained for smuggling gems into Turkey, broadcaster CNN Turk and other media outlets reported.
Acting on the orders of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, police raided 23 businesses in the 15th-century covered market, arresting another 40 people.
Police seized some 135 pieces of jewelry, 1,132 ingots of precious metals and 267 historical artifacts worth 1.25 billion Turkish lira ($30.5 million), the reports said.
Firearms and digital material were also seized.
The Grand Bazaar is one of the world’s most visited tourist sites and is home to thousands of small shops. It was founded by Sultan Mehmet II shortly after he conquered the city from the Byzantine Empire, AFP reports.
Often described by tourist guides as the world’s first shopping mall, the Grand Bazaar is no stranger to police attention.
In April, investigators raided a firm that dealt in foreign exchange and precious metals on charges of money laundering.
