Turkish gendarmerie forces detained 81 suspected migrant smugglers during coordinated operations across 34 provinces, with 63 formally arrested and 2,116 irregular migrants intercepted, the Interior Ministry announced Friday.
The nationwide operations, conducted under the coordination of the Gendarmerie General Command's Department of Combating Migrant Smuggling and Human Trafficking, targeted networks suspected of facilitating illegal migration.
Of the 81 suspected organizers detained, 63 were formally arrested by courts, while the remaining 18 were placed under judicial supervision, the ministry said.
Gendarmerie public security, highway patrol and commando units participated in the operations, supported by gendarmerie unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) conducting aerial surveillance.
Security forces also seized 111 vehicles and 10 boats and boat engines allegedly intended for use in migrant smuggling activities, including illegal maritime crossings.
During the operations, authorities intercepted 2,116 irregular migrants attempting to leave Türkiye through unauthorized routes.
The migrants were transferred to provincial migration management directorates for deportation procedures following the completion of the necessary legal processes, according to the ministry.
The Interior Ministry commended the gendarmerie personnel involved in the operations and reiterated its commitment to combating irregular migration and migrant smuggling networks.
The ministry said efforts would continue with an emphasis on maintaining public order, protecting human rights and safeguarding national interests.
The coast guard, which operates around the clock to prevent unauthorized sea crossings and combat migrant smuggling, carries out patrols and surveillance using maritime and aerial assets.
Despite the decline in crossings, dangerous journeys continued to claim lives. Forty-six irregular migrants died at sea through Aug. 30 this year, according to the data.
Türkiye recorded 44 deaths in 2024 and 59 in 2025.
Authorities also detained 143 suspected migrant smugglers in maritime operations through August this year, compared with 484 in 2024 and 363 in 2025.
