Turkish-Norwegian Drug Kingpin Yavuz Kasap Convicted in Absentia, Linked to Drøbak Bomb Plot
A Norwegian-Turkish man identified as Yavuz Kasap was sentenced in Turkey to 16 years for drug storage, while Norwegian police tie him to a bomb attack and a wider cocaine network.
Norwegian authorities allege that Yavuz Kasap, a 34-year-old dual-national who lives in Istanbul, is the mastermind behind the “Reis” drug network that controls Norway’s cocaine trade. After a bomb detonated at a Drøbak residence on 24 October 2023 - reportedly triggered by an attempted theft of 20 kg of cocaine - police launched a secret surveillance operation that resulted in the arrest of six suspects, among them ex-footballer Fred Gulsvik.
Kasap, who was tried in absentia in Turkey, received a 16-year-plus sentence for storing 253 kg of hashish in a Oslo garage and is currently appealing. He is also under investigation in Turkey for leading a larger narcotics and money-laundering operation. A hidden audio recording from the trial captured a defendant mentioning that “Reis” controls “baida” (cocaine) in Norway, reinforcing police claims about Kasap’s role. Attempts to contact his Turkish lawyer have failed, and the case’s verdict for the remaining defendants is expected in October.
Why it matters
The case reveals a transnational drug network linking Norway and Turkey, highlighting challenges for law-enforcement cooperation.
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