A criminal network stretching from the poppy fields of Afghanistan to the streets of north London has been implicated in a recent drive-by shooting that critically injured a nine-year-old girl.
The attack, targeting members of the feared Hackney Bombacilar clan, highlights the brutal underworld rivalry over control of the UK’s heroin trade.
Last week, shots were fired at a restaurant on Kingsland High Street, Hackney, aimed at key figures of the Bombacilar mob, locked in a violent feud with the Tottenham Turks. This conflict has resulted in over 20 murders and numerous kidnappings and violent acts over two decades. The Bombacilars, named after the Turkish word for ‘bombers,’ have established a multi-billion-pound criminal empire from their base in north London’s Turkish community.
A young girl was caught in the hail of bullets, with one said to have lodged in her head, as she was out for dinner with her family at the Evin restaurant in Kingsland High Street on May 29.
The syndicate is controlled by the Baybasin brothers, who began their involvement in the drug trade in the 1970s in southeast Turkey. Led initially by Huseyin Baybasin, dubbed ‘the Emperor,’ the family expanded their operations internationally before relocating to London in the mid-1990s. Despite Huseyin’s arrest in Amsterdam, his younger brother Abdullah took over, continuing their illicit activities and extending their reach across the UK.
The Baybasin brothers have been involved in various criminal enterprises, including extortion, human trafficking, and money laundering. Abdullah, confined to a wheelchair after a rival attack, was controversially granted asylum in the UK due to his role as an informant for UK authorities. From their base in the Dostlar Lokali café, the Bombacilars have dominated the local drug trade and extorted businesses, fueling their ongoing conflict with the Tottenham Turks.
This longstanding feud has frequently spilled into violence on London’s streets, with tragic consequences for innocent bystanders. Notable incidents include the 2009 murder of shopkeeper Ahmet Paytak, mistakenly killed by a hitman targeting a rival gang leader. As the latest victim remains hospitalised, the community is once again reminded of the devastating impact of this brutal gang warfare.
