'Zimorodka' star Afru Sarachoğlu detained in Turkey in drug case

Turkish actress Afra Sarachoğlu, who played the lead role in the TV series “Zimorodok”, was detained at the airport of Istanbul after returning from France. She was previously ordered to be detained as part of a drug investigation, NTV Haber reported.

The investigation is conducted by the prosecutor's office of Bakyrköy district in Istanbul. Earlier, the prosecutor’s office said that it has evidence that gives grounds to suspect famous actors, singers, businessmen, owners of institutions and bloggers in the use of narcotic and stimulant substances, promoting their use or providing premises for this.

Afra Sarachoğlu is a Turkish actress and model. She gained fame thanks to her roles in TV series and films, including in the series “Zimorodok”, where she played the main role of Seyran. She also starred in the TV series “Teacher”, “Sisters’ Children” and “Fazilet and Her Daughters”. In 2018, she won the prestigious Turkish Golden Butterfly Award in the Rising Star category.

A total of 24 people were detained in the two investigations, 21 of them were detained. Ten suspects after procedures at the Institute of Forensic Medicine were released, two were detained, three others were released under judicial control.

Six people remain in custody in a separate investigation. It deals with alleged offences of drug use and acquisition, breach of privacy, blackmail and facilitation of prostitution.

The investigation against celebrities continues from October 2025, the channel notes. It previously carried out operations, and the suspects donated blood and hair for analysis for narcotic substances.

Among those detained in the case of drug trafficking last week was also actor Aras Bulut Inemli, familiar to Russian viewers on the TV series “The Magnificent Century” and “Chukur”.

According to Euronews, in addition to Iinemli, the list of defendants included actress Melis Sezen, former football player Hassan Shash and rapper Sefo (Seyfullah Sagir). Earlier, as part of the same investigation, searches were conducted at singers Syla Genchoğlu and Ilyas Yalcintaş, as well as producer Fatih Aksoy - biological samples were taken from them, and Yalcintaş himself was subsequently arrested along with three other defendants in the case.

The case also includes actresses Afra Sarachoğlu and Nilperi Shahinkaya, as well as journalist Yagyz Sabunjuoglu, Hürriyet writes.

In April, on suspicion of involvement in drug trafficking, actress Aleina Bozok, known for her roles in Zymorodka and Cranberry Sherbet, was detained.