Authorities in southeastern Türkiye uncovered 30 irregular migrants concealed inside a tanker truck near the Iranian border during a police operation, officials said Thursday, as security forces continued efforts to curb migrant smuggling in the region.
Police video posted on X on Wednesday showed officers pulling several men out of a hatch on top of the tanker on a road in the eastern Bitlis province.
"A suspect involved in organizing this trafficking has been arrested," the post said, without giving further details but saying the 30 migrants would be deported.
Contacted by AFP, the police refused to comment further.
Illegal migrants are regularly found hidden inside trucks in the province, which lies some 300 kilometers (190 miles) from the Iranian border.
Türkiye began building a wall along the Iranian border in 2021 to stop migrants, mostly Afghans, from entering.
So far, it has built around 380 kilometres of concrete barrier and 553 kilometers of trenches with nearly 250 surveillance towers.
