In a significant crackdown on migrant smuggling, Turkish authorities have arrested 31 suspects, including 9 foreign nationals, and apprehended 981 irregular migrants during the nationwide ‘Kalkan-35’ operation. The operation, which took place across Turkey, involved extensive checks on 366,838 individuals and inspections at 15,250 different locations.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared details of the operation on social media, noting the scale of the effort, which included inspections of abandoned buildings, public venues, truck garages, terminals, and transport stations. The operation was coordinated by various authorities, including the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices, the Directorate of Migration Management, and the General Directorate of Security, with the participation of the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard.
Yerlikaya emphasized Turkey’s role as a leader in migration management, highlighting the country’s commitment to human rights, security, and law enforcement. He also reiterated Turkey’s approach to managing both regular and irregular migration, providing international protection, ensuring safe returns, and combating migrant smuggling.
With 26,438 personnel and 8,412 teams involved in the operation, the authorities are now in the process of repatriating the detained irregular migrants. This operation shows Turkey’s ongoing efforts to strengthen border security and control migrant flows while ensuring public order and safety.