The Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday that 2,563 irregular migrants were captured in one week and 149 migrant smugglers were detained.
Minister Ali Yerlikaya said they were working around the clock to stop irregular migration and migrant smuggling. He noted that they carried out 100 operations as part of “Kalkan-25” (Shield) series of operations targeting irregular migrants and migrant smuggling.
Forty-two among the migrant smugglers were remanded in custody while 21 others were released pending judiciary control. The minister said legal proceedings were underway for the rest.
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 dangerous journeys 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 the European Union.
In some cases, neighboring Greece is accused of pushing back migrants in a controversial practice. In the Aegean Sea, Greek coast guard boats often drive out approaching migrant boats to the Greek islands.
In 2023, authorities intercepted 254,000 irregular migrants and arrested 3,744 migrant smuggling organizers.
Türkiye, which already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any other country in the world, is taking new measures at its borders to prevent a fresh influx of migrants, balancing a humanitarian policy and the need to stop thousands from risking their lives.
As most irregular migrants try to infiltrate Türkiye through its eastern borders, the country recently began constructing a security wall. Authorities say 80% of the wall and a 1,234-kilometer (767-mile) patrolling strip next to the wall are completed, with the remaining section set to be completed within the year.
The Directorate of Migration set up “mobile migration points” to speed up the processing of irregular migrants. The migration points, the first of their kind in the world, help law enforcement in the field check for irregular migrants.
