ANKARA, (Reuters) – Turkey’s government has seized the one-time state yacht of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, following media reports that a vice ring had used the vessel to throw sex parties with prostitutes.
Eight women and two underage girls, all of whom were believed to be prostitutes, were taken for health checks after authorities in the Mediterranean city of Antalya confiscated the 136-metre Savarona, state-run Anatolian news agency reported.
Eight people, including two women, remain in custody, it said.
The Savarona had been leased to a businessman by the Finance Ministry.
“I gave the necessary instructions for the cancellation of the ship’s lease,” Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek told Anatolian, adding the Culture Ministry should now take ownership of the vessel.
“If the company does not agree on the cancellation of the ship’s licence, we will take the case to court and make the effort to have it annulled by a court ruling.”
Anatolian said leaders of the sex-ring charged clients between $3,000 and $10,000 for a night with the prostitutes, who came from Russia and Ukraine.
