Turkish authorities captured 42 suspected migrant smugglers on New Year’s Eve, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced. The arrests were part of nationwide Shield-37 raids, with 14 of the suspects being foreign nationals. Additionally, 380,807 people were checked for identity cards during nationwide inspections, which led to the discovery of 764 irregular migrants who were transferred to deportation centers.
Since 2020, Türkiye has apprehended over 1.1 million irregular migrants. Afghan nationals have made up the largest group, followed by Syrians. Migrant arrivals have increased year by year from 2020 to 2023, but the numbers have dropped significantly in 2024. In October alone, 5,132 irregular migrants were caught in the country.
The crackdown on migrant smuggling has also intensified, with authorities capturing 31,931 smugglers between 2020 and 2023. From January to October 2024, 9,761 smugglers were detained. Türkiye is a key migration route, hosting over 4.4 million foreign nationals, including more than 3.1 million Syrians under temporary protection.
Migrants from African and Asian countries often use Türkiye as a transit point to reach Europe, with many making dangerous journeys by land or sea. Smugglers typically abandon migrants after receiving large sums of money, particularly during sea crossings. However, Turkish security forces continue to intercept migrants before they can reach Europe.
In a related rescue operation on January 1, 2025, the Turkish coast guard saved 73 irregular migrants whose boat had broken down and intercepted 155 others off the coast of Izmir.