Two Turkish nationals charged with extortion in Gostivar over 43 kilograms and 800 grams of gold
External investigators say two men from Turkey coerced a father and son in Gostivar to hand over 43 kilograms and 800 grams of finished gold and devalued the items as melted material.
The External Office for Criminal Investigations in Gostivar has filed criminal charges against two Turkish nationals, T.D. (55) and Z.D. (54), on suspicion of extortion. Authorities say the alleged scheme ran for years and targeted a father and his son from Gostivar.
Allegations and timeline
Investigators report that, in a continuous series of actions from 2019 to 2026, the suspects pressured a 66-year-old Gostivar resident and his 41-year-old son to hand over finished gold items weighing a total of 43 kilograms and 800 grams. The indictment states the two men unlawfully and arbitrarily assessed the value of the items as melted raw material rather than as finished products, which carry a substantially higher market price.
In addition to threats and extortionate messages toward the son and the family, the suspects allegedly forced the 66-year-old in February 2025 to sign a preliminary sales contract for real estate at a notary in Gostivar; the content of that contract was not read to him, according to the complaint.
The criminal complaint lodged by the External Office for Criminal Investigations in Gostivar names T.D. and Z.D. as persons against whom there are grounds for suspicion of the criminal offense of "extortion". The case remains under investigation and will proceed through the regular prosecutorial and judicial channels.
The filing details the duration of the alleged pressure, the precise weight of the seized gold and the ages of those involved, while authorities have not released additional public information about the suspects' current whereabouts or whether arrests have been made.
Photo: press material from the event
