Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on his social media account that operations were carried out by the gendarme against human trafficking organizers and irregular migrants in four provinces. Yerlikaya stated that 63 human trafficking organizers were captured, with 38 of them being arrested and 14 placed under judicial control. He emphasized that the country will not allow organizers attempting to make Turkey a target for irregular migration by engaging in human trafficking. Yerlikaya added that operations will continue relentlessly throughout the country.
Yerlikaya shared details of the operations conducted in Muğla, Van, Çanakkale, and Şırnak during the Kalkan-23 operations coordinated by the Gendarmerie General Command’s Department for Combating Human Trafficking and Human Trafficking. In Van, 125 irregular migrants were captured as a result of the operations carried out by the provincial gendarmerie command. He mentioned that 29 human trafficking organizers were captured, with 18 of them being arrested and 5 placed under judicial control. In Van, 14 human trafficking organizers were captured, with 9 of them being arrested and 3 placed under judicial control. Additionally, 125 irregular migrants were captured in Van.
Yerlikaya also provided information on the operations conducted in Çanakkale and Şırnak provinces. He stated that 11 human trafficking organizers were captured in Çanakkale, with 10 of them being arrested. In Şırnak, 9 human trafficking organizers were captured, with 1 being arrested and 6 placed under judicial control. Yerlikaya mentioned that the captured irregular migrants were handed over to the Provincial Directorate of Immigration and deportation procedures were initiated.
The operations were part of the ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and irregular migration in various regions of Turkey. Yerlikaya reiterated the government’s determination to prevent human trafficking and irregular migration, emphasizing the importance of maintaining security and order in the country. He underlined the commitment to continue operations across all regions to tackle this issue effectively and protect the country from becoming a transit route for illegal activities. The successful operations demonstrated the authorities’ dedication to keeping Turkey safe and secure from criminal activities related to human trafficking and irregular migration.
