262 illegal migrants apprehended in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

The Istanbul police have apprehended 262 irregular migrants who were harbored at various addresses by human traffickers days before their illegal journey to Europe.

In a large-scale operation conducted by the Istanbul police's anti-migration units, they identified 10 locations in the Sultangazi district where migrants were harbored under inhumane conditions before their illicit journey to European countries through the Turkish waters.

During the raids, a total of 262 illegal migrants were captured, and the teams transferred them to deportation centers for processing.

Simultaneously, five human traffickers orchestrating the illegal migration journeys were apprehended, resulting in a total fine of 270,000 Turkish Liras.

Türkiye is currently home to 4.7 million legally registered foreigners, as confirmed by Atilla Toros, head of the Interior Ministry's Directorate of Migration Management.

In the fight against irregular migration, Türkiye has implemented the "Istanbul model" project, which focuses on identifying and verifying the identity of suspected irregular migrants.

Under this initiative, law enforcement units scrutinize individuals and, if necessary, request detailed information from "mobile immigration points." Toros announced that this project would be extended to all provinces starting from Dec. 1, ensuring a more comprehensive approach to border control.

Moreover, efforts are underway to facilitate the "voluntary, safe and dignified return" of Syrian refugees. Some 583,618 Syrians have voluntarily returned to their homeland thus far, while the government continues its work to enable the return of 1 million Syrians in total.