Turkish security forces detained 48 suspected migrant smugglers in operations across 23 provinces, the Interior Ministry announced Monday, as authorities intensified efforts against irregular migration and organized smuggling networks.
Thirty-one of the suspects were formally arrested following judicial proceedings, while 17 were released under judicial supervision, the ministry said in a statement.
The operations were coordinated by the Gendarmerie General Command’s Department of Combating Migrant Smuggling and Human Trafficking and the Turkish Coast Guard Command.
Raids and enforcement operations were carried out in the provinces of Ağrı, Ankara, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bitlis, Çanakkale, Düzce, Edirne, Erzurum, Hatay, Izmir, Kırklareli, Kocaeli, Konya, Manisa, Muğla, Siirt, Sivas, Şanlıurfa, Şırnak, Tekirdağ, Tunceli and Van.
Authorities used both aerial and ground surveillance during the operations. Unmanned aerial vehicles operated by the Gendarmerie General Command conducted surveillance from the air, while provincial gendarmerie units carried out operations on the ground.
