Bribery Operation Conducted at Nazilli Cotton Research Institute

September 18, 2026 · GıdaTarım

Four suspects, including Institute Director Mustafa Koray Şimşek, were detained in an operation at the Aydın Nazilli Cotton Research Institute over allegations of receiving bribes from private companies.

Comprehensive Bribery Operation Targeting the Institute

Aydın Nazilli Cotton Research Institute, a leading institution in Turkey's cotton breeding and agricultural research, was shaken by a judicial operation. An investigation was launched at the institution, which had previously made headlines with the GDO-containing FH-142 cotton variety in a doctoral thesis, over allegations of receiving bribes from private companies. Teams from the Aydın Provincial Gendarmerie Command's Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch and the Nazilli District Gendarmerie, examining data from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), carried out a simultaneous operation. During the operation, 4 suspects, including Institute Director Mustafa Koray Şimşek, were detained, and materials from the suspects' offices were seized for examination.

Court Decision and Dismissal

After completing their procedures at the gendarmerie, the 4 suspects were referred to the Nazilli Courthouse to give statements to the Public Prosecutor's Office on charges of bribery, abuse of duty, forgery of official documents, and forming a criminal organization. The Cumhuriyet Prosecutor's Office, conducting the investigation, requested the arrest of Institute Director Mustafa Koray Şimşek and forwarded the file to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace. The judgeship ruled for the release of all suspects, including Şimşek, under judicial control. Following the judicial process, the dismissal of Institute Director Şimşek drew attention, while the investigation within the institution continues in a multi-faceted manner.

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