Erbil, Kurdistan Region - The Erbil Security Directorate announced the successful arrest of the Govand CTS prostitution court group on Monday, a criminal organization that had been evading security agencies for some time.

The group was exposed during an episode of "Alan Zandi's Fingerprint" aired on Kurdistan 24, revealing their involvement in deceiving, threatening, and extorting numerous individuals. The gang had published explicit photos and videos to extort large sums of money, posing a significant threat to thousands of people.

The Govand CTS group operated several Telegram groups with memberships ranging from 30,000 to 200,000. These groups, known by names such as Govand Prostitution Court CTS and Mick Mick, targeted individuals of all genders. They obtained files and documents, using them to threaten and extort money from their owners.

In response, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), with the assistance of the Ministry of Interior, the KRG Security Council, police, and security forces, launched an investigation that successfully identified the group. A joint operation involving SWAT and commando forces led to the arrest of the group's members.

The gang leader, known by various titles including Storm and Leader, was responsible for creating and distributing the explicit content. Erbil security forces confiscated the group's mobile phones, which contained hundreds of thousands of photos and videos used for intimidation.

The supervisor of the Govand CTS group admitted to owning the channels and revealed that the group initially consisted of three members but later expanded to seven. "We forced women to create inappropriate videos for us. I would send the admins of the group to collect the money," he confessed.

Lieutenant Ardalan Fatih, spokesperson for the Erbil security forces, stated that they are actively working to identify and apprehend individuals who pose threats to citizens through social media. The authorities are urging all individuals who have received threats from the group to file complaints to reclaim their rights.

The accused admitted that women had threatened to commit suicide or divorce if the videos were released, but these pleas were ignored. Erbil security forces continue to work diligently to protect citizens from such social media threats and ensure the perpetrators face justice.