ISTANBUL: Dozens of Turkish police officers, including a former chief of a police financial unit, were detained on Monday in a fresh wave of arrests over allegations that officers were involved in plotting against the government, local media said.

Arrest warrants were issued for 33 police “seeking to overthrow the government”, broadcaster NTV reported. The police force was not immediately available to comment.

Dozens of police have been remanded in custody since July on charges that they formed a criminal organisation and bugged phones, part of what new President Tayyip Erdogan has described as a plot against him .

Published in Dawn, September 2nd , 2014