Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MIT), in a joint operation with Istanbul prosecutors and the Istanbul Provincial Police Department, on Friday detained two individuals in Istanbul who were allegedly working for Israeli spy agency Mossad.
The suspects were identified as Mehmet Budak Derya and Veysel Kerimoglu, according to information obtained from security sources.
Sources said Derya and Kerimoglu had been under MIT surveillance for some time and were allegedly passing on information to Mossad.
Derya, a mining engineer, founded his own company in 2005 and opened a marble quarry in Mersin's Silifke district, expanding trade to numerous countries worldwide.
Through these activities, he reportedly attracted the attention of Israeli intelligence and established contact with an individual using the code name "Ali Ahmed Yassin," described as a representative of a Mossad front company.
According to the sources, Yassin visited Derya at his office in 2012, stating that his company wanted to do business with him and inviting him to a European country to meet his superiors.
- Met with Mossad officials under guise of company owner
Viewing the meeting as a business opportunity, Derya traveled to Europe in 2013 and met individuals described as Israeli intelligence operatives posing as company owners.
During the meeting, discussions focused on the marble business, and an operative using the codename "Luis" allegedly instructed Derya to hire Veysel Kerimoglu, a Turkish citizen of Palestinian origin.
After hiring Kerimoglu, Derya was reportedly instructed to provide regular updates about their activities.
At the same time, Yassin allegedly encouraged Kerimoglu to work with Derya. Security sources said Derya developed both a professional and personal relationship with Kerimoglu, whose salary was allegedly financed by intelligence operatives.
- Shared every step they took
Derya later expanded commercial operations toward Middle Eastern countries through Kerimoglu and developed social and business relations with Palestinians opposed to Israel's policies toward Mideast states.
Information gathered about these individuals was allegedly shared with Israeli intelligence.
Sources said Derya also sought permission to enter Gaza using commercial ties established within the framework of Israel's Gaza policies and sent photos of warehouses he was scouting in Gaza to Israeli intelligence.
Kerimoglu, seeking to diversify beyond marble, reportedly proposed in early 2016 that they begin trading drone parts.
Security sources said Derya immediately informed Mossad officials of the proposal, and after approval from Israeli intelligence, initial samples were supplied by the service.
One of the individuals to whom Derya and Kerimoglu allegedly attempted to sell drones, known as "Mohamed Zouari," was assassinated in Tunisia in 2016, reportedly by Israeli intelligence.
Authorities said Derya maintained relations with Israeli intelligence from 2013 until recently, conducting meetings in various European countries with operatives using codenames including Luis, Jesus/Jose, Dr. Roberto/Ricardo, Dan/Dennis, Mark, Elly/Emmy, and Michael.
- Passed Mossad's tests
Israeli intelligence reportedly emphasized strict secrecy throughout the operation and provided Derya with encrypted communication systems.
As part of security measures, Derya was subjected to a polygraph test in an Asian country in 2016, which he allegedly passed.
After recognizing the seriousness of the operation following the test, he reportedly became more cautious.
A second polygraph was allegedly carried out in 2024 at a hotel in a European country, which he also passed, enabling him to advance to a higher operational level.
According to security sources, acting on instructions from Mossad operatives, Derya purchased SIM cards, internet modems, and router devices from Türkiye and other countries, sending photos of labels containing passwords, serial numbers, manufacturing information, and MAC addresses to his handlers.
- Caught while preparing to establish front company
Authorities said that during a key meeting with Mossad officials abroad this January, plans were discussed for Derya to establish a front company overseas for operational purposes.
The plan allegedly aimed to infiltrate international commercial supply chains through shell companies.
Under the arrangement, products sourced from countries selected by Mossad would be coordinated for shipment to the country of the final end user identified by Israeli intelligence.
The scheme reportedly involved three legitimate companies operating in Asian countries: one to procure products from the market and repackage them, another to temporarily store the items, and a third to export them to a company belonging to the designated end user.
The front company to be established under Derya's management would oversee the entire supply chain from procurement to export on behalf of Israeli intelligence.
During the January meeting, discussions allegedly covered opening bank accounts, designing a website, creating social media accounts, and researching potential partner firms.
Derya and Kerimoglu, who had been under surveillance by MIT, were detained in Istanbul as part of what authorities described as the "MONITUM Activity," carried out jointly by MIT, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and the counterterrorism branch of the Istanbul Provincial Police Department.
