Türkiye holds 19 migrant smuggling organizers in western Türkiye

ISTANBUL (AA) – At least 19 migrant smuggling organizers were held in operations conducted in two western Turkish provinces, the Turkish interior minister said on Sunday.

The southwestern Mugla and northwestern Canakkale provincial gendarmerie commands conducted the operations, said Ali Yerlikaya in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Noting that 19 migrant smuggling organizers, including one foreign national, were held during the operations, Yerlikaya said 17 of them were remanded in custody while the remaining two were given judicial control decisions.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants wanting to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.