It was announced on Thursday that 29 suspected migrant smugglers and 687 irregular migrants were captured during nationwide operations carried out across all 81 provinces of Türkiye.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on his social media accounts that the large-scale operation, coordinated by the Presidency of Migration Management and involving police, gendarmerie and coast guard units targeted locations where smuggling activities are commonly detected, including truck depots, bus terminals, ports, entertainment venues and public transportation hubs.

According to the statement, authorities deployed 27,738 personnel and 9,027 teams to 5,579 checkpoints throughout the country. Security forces inspected 15,334 locations, regarding 4,042 abandoned buildings, 7,794 public venues, 470 terminals and more than 3,000 additional sites. Identity checks were conducted on 434,295 people as part of the effort to curb irregular migration and dismantle smuggling networks.

Yerlikaya stated that nine of the 29 suspected organizers detained were foreign nationals. Procedures to deport the 687 irregular migrants taken into custody have been initiated, he added.

The minister also emphasized that Türkiye aims to balance strict border and migration management with adherence to human rights standards.

"Türkiye presents a model of migration governance that respects human rights and the rule of law while maintaining public order and security,” Yerlikaya said in his statement, noting that authorities are working across all dimensions of migration, including irregular migration, international protection measures, voluntary returns and efforts to combat migrant smuggling.

The Interior Ministry has stepped up its crackdown on migrant smugglers exploiting desperate travelers from abroad who are charged thousands of euros or dollars to "facilitate” their infiltration into Europe.

Some migrants make the dangerous journey over land or sea with the assistance of smugglers, who often abandon them, especially during sea journeys, after receiving thousands of dollars from each migrant. Turkish security forces stop others before crossing the border into Europe.