Türkiye has intensified its efforts to tackle irregular migration, apprehending 32 migrant smugglers and 572 irregular migrants in a sweeping nationwide operation, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Thursday.
Authorities checked 18,390 locations in total, including nearly 5,700 residential areas, more than 4,300 abandoned buildings, over 8,000 public spaces, 446 terminals and 5,500 other sites, as part of large-scale inspections carried out nationwide, involving 27,000 personnel and more than 8,600 teams, Yerlikaya said in a statement on X.
The operation included identity checks on nearly 395,000 individuals, which led to the arrest of 32 migrant smugglers, six of whom were foreign nationals, and 572 people identified as irregular migrants.
Repatriation procedures have already begun for those who have been apprehended.
Yerlikaya praised the coordinated efforts of governors, local officials, law enforcement and migration officers involved in the operation.
"Türkiye offers an exemplary model to the world in migration management," he said. "We respect human rights and the rule of law while ensuring public safety."
The minister also highlighted the effectiveness of mobile migration checkpoints, a program that began in July 2023.
Since the program’s launch, more than 4.5 million individuals have been screened through mobile immigration vehicles operating across all 81 provinces, he said.
Of those screened, over 213,000 were identified as irregular migrants.
The program initially showed a high detection rate of 74.5% in its first three months. However, recent figures indicate a significant drop. In the past month alone, 319,000 individuals were screened, with just over 5,600 found to be irregular migrants – a detection rate of 1.8%.
Yerlikaya attributed this drop to improved enforcement and better migration management practices.
"These mobile vehicles have made our work more visible and effective on the ground," he said during a speech at the Mobile Migration Vehicle Commissioning Ceremony held at the Directorate of Migration Management.
He announced that 105 new vehicles are being added to the fleet, bringing the total to 375. These mobile units are now a core part of Türkiye’s migration strategy, allowing for rapid and targeted checks in high-risk areas.
Calling the system a "unique application in the world," Yerlikaya emphasized that migration is a global issue and that Türkiye’s approach strikes a balance between compassion and strong governance.
"Türkiye is a model country that handles migration with both conscience and wisdom," he said. "We will continue to act firmly against irregular migration."
Quoting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Yerlikaya concluded: "Our fight against irregular migration will continue without compromise."
The government’s strengthened approach appears to reflect its commitment to maintaining order while managing migration in a humanitarian way, demonstrating both the scale of the challenge and Türkiye’s evolving role as a key player in global migration management.
Türkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Every year, hundreds of thousands of migrants flee civil conflict or economic hardship in their home countries with the hope of reaching 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. Others are stopped by Turkish security forces before crossing the border into Europe.
The latest statistics, between 2010 and 2023, show that Türkiye rescued 184,175 irregular migrants from its seas after they put their lives in danger with the hope of reaching Europe. Some 923 migrants, on the other hand, ended up dead on perilous journeys in the same period, while 503 people remain unaccounted for after their boats sank.
In 2023, authorities intercepted 254,000 irregular migrants and arrested 3,744 migrant smuggling organizers.
