Turkish authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for the founder and CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Thodex, Faruk Fatih Ozer, who reportedly fled to Albania's capital Tirana on Tuesday with $2 billion in investors' assets.

Turkey's police have already detained 62 people as part of the investigation, after thousands of users complained of being scammed by the Istanbul-based cryptocurrency platform.

Ozer's firm announced on Wednesday that it needed to suspend all activities for five days due to an unspecified outside investment, leaving its 391,000 investors unable to withdraw money or access their accounts.

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"We have started the legal procedures and lodged a complaint at the prosecutor's office," Oguz Evren Kilic, a lawyer for the allegedly defrauded investors, told AFP on Thursday.

Turkish authorities issued arrest warrants for 16 other people beyond the 62 already detained, about whom there is no information yet.

Ozer stands accused of "aggravated fraud and founding a criminal organization." But in a message on the company's Twitter account he said he will return to Istanbul after his meetings with foreign investors abroad to "cooperate with judicial authorities so that the truth can come out."

Turkish police reportedly raided the company's headquarters and seized computers and digital materials.

Turkey's cryptomarket has been growing recently, despite President Recep Tayyip Erdogan being vocal about his mistrust of cryptocurrencies. 

Only a week ago, Turkey's central bank banned the use of cryptocurrencies and crypto assets to buy goods and services, citing concerns over transaction risks.