The Reign of London's Turkish Organised Crime Groups
Turkish criminal organisations have established firm control over streets in north and east London through systematic violence, intimidation and sophisticated financial operations, according to recent investigations. The Bombacilar (bombers) and Tottenham Boys (also known as the Hackney Turks) represent the most feared factions within this criminal landscape, creating territorial enclaves where their authority remains largely unchallenged.
Protection Rackets and Community Control
These gangs have developed intricate systems of financial leverage within Turkish communities across London. A teacher raised in Wood Green, speaking anonymously, described how the organisations operate much like traditional mafia groups, embedding themselves within the fabric of society while maintaining violent enforcement capabilities.
The gangs frequently provide loans to families arriving from Turkey, enabling them to establish businesses such as cafes or barbershops. While interest rates may appear reasonable initially, failure to meet repayment schedules can lead to severe consequences. This economic stranglehold creates what the source described as "a kind of fortress where everyone owes them and they can keep control."
The teacher explained: "They hide in plain sight. They can seem friendly and just like normal guys but beneath the exterior smile there's heroin trafficking and gun smuggling going on. It's very much like the Mafia in Italy and the US where they are part of the fabric of society."
Territorial Strongholds and Rival Conflicts
Tottenham, Wood Green and Dalston serve as primary strongholds for these criminal enterprises. Their dominance is such that even notoriously violent Albanian gangs operating in north London generally avoid confrontation with Turkish groups, instead focusing their activities further north in areas like Southgate and Cockfosters.
However, bloody feuds between rival Turkish factions have persisted for decades, primarily centred around territorial disputes and control over drug supply lines. The conflict between Tottenham Boys, who maintain strong Kurdish connections, and the Bombacilar has escalated through generations, with deadly tit-for-tat attacks becoming increasingly common.
Violence and Innocent Victims
The consequences of these gang wars extend far beyond criminal participants, regularly ensnaring innocent bystanders in their violence. In May 2024, a particularly shocking incident occurred when a gunman on a motorbike sprayed bullets at a restaurant in Dalston. While three men were targeted, a stray bullet struck a nine-year-old girl eating ice cream outside, causing serious injuries when the projectile lodged in her brain.
This attack was believed to stem from an ongoing dispute between Tottenham Turks and Hackney Turks that originated with a snooker club fight in 2009. Javon Riley, 33, received imprisonment for three counts of attempted murder related to this incident, highlighting how Turkish gangs frequently recruit assassins and enforcers from outside their immediate community.
Other high-profile incidents include the 2013 shooting of shopkeeper Ahmet Paytak, 50, and injury to his son at their Euro food and wines store on Holloway Road. Two years later, baker Erdogan Guzel was gunned down outside his cafe on Lordship Lane, with a visiting Bulgarian woman and her daughter caught in the crossfire. The woman later questioned: "How could this happen in London? The bullets flew at us. We tried to take cover. My mother was seriously injured, we were doing nothing, minding our own business."
International Connections and Criminal Infrastructure
The reach of these organisations extends well beyond London, with established connections to Turkish communities across Europe including Berlin. Their primary income derives from heroin smuggling operations, while territorial control is maintained by "soldiers" armed with illegally imported firearms from Turkey.
The Springfield pistol has emerged as the weapon of choice among Turkish gangs, smuggled into the capital through sophisticated international networks. Last year alone, authorities recovered more than 130 guns and 2,500 rounds of ammunition from Turkish organised crime groups.
Historical Context and Notorious Figures
The history of Turkish organised crime in London spans decades, with well-established structures and notorious figures shaping its development. Abdullah Baybasin, often regarded as an original "Turkish Godfather," arrived in London in 1997 and is believed to have established the Bombacilar gang. Operating from his family home in Edgware, Baybasin strong-armed shopkeepers into protection rackets before receiving a 23-year prison sentence in 2006 for conspiracy to supply heroin and blackmail.
In 2012, Turkish crime family head Ali Armagan, 32, was shot dead in his custom Audi Limousine near Turnpike Lane tube station, echoing earlier assassination attempts on prominent figures within these criminal networks.
Extreme Violence and Community Intimidation
The brutality employed by these groups reached particularly disturbing levels in 2023 with the torture and murder of Turkish DJ Mehmet Koray Alpergin. The 43-year-old and his girlfriend Gozde Dalbudak were kidnapped in central London, with Alpergin subjected to beating, throttling, burning and stabbing before his body was dumped in Essex woodland. The level of violence prompted police comparisons to gangster movies, with Tejean Kennedy and Ali Kavak receiving substantial prison sentences for their involvement.
This case highlighted the extreme measures gangs employ within their own communities. As early as 2003, police discovered a torture chamber in the basement of a Turkish-owned property on Greek Lanes in Tottenham during a raid, revealing the sophisticated infrastructure supporting their reign of terror.
Police Response and Community Fear
The Metropolitan Police has identified Turkish gangs as "public enemy number one" regarding illegal firearms smuggling. Chief Superintendent Rick Sewart acknowledged that feuds between Turkish groups have made them a priority for law enforcement, contributing to coordinated crackdowns that have helped reduce murder rates to ten-year lows.
"The Turkish gangs are the number one threat to the UK and London in terms of firearms," Sewart stated. "We have been working with Europol and the National Crime Agency on the supply of firearms into the UK and Europe."
Despite police claims of disruption through gun and drug seizures, community members continue living in fear. A resident near a previous shooting location revealed: "We live in fear. I remember the day it happened. I heard the shots. I had been planning to go to the shop. I could have been hit – it was terrifying. We know better than to say much about it in case someone connected with the gangs hears."
A cafe worker on Lordship Lane summarised the prevailing atmosphere: "The gangs have the money and power. We are just pawns in the game. It's like the Italian mafia rule of silence, many people will not say a word." This culture of intimidation, combined with sophisticated criminal operations, ensures Turkish organised crime groups maintain their formidable presence across London's northern and eastern neighbourhoods.
