Over 230 irregular migrants held in western Turkey

ÇANAKKALE

A total of 231 irregular migrants were held in Turkey’s western province of Çanakkale on July 28, according to officials.

The Turkish Coast Guard said in a statement on its website that its teams took action when they detected irregular migrants off the coast of Ezine District in Çanakkale as they were transported to a fishing boat with rubber boats.

The fishing boat was stopped by eight commissioned coast guard boats and Turkish officials held 231 irregular migrants and arrested two suspected migrant smugglers.

Turkey has been a main route for irregular migrants trying to cross to Europe, especially since 2011, when Syria’s civil war began.