Police crack down on migrant smuggling, crime group

ANKARA

In a series of operations spanning the last three days, Turkish law enforcement agencies apprehended 82 migrant smuggling organizers and 1,222 irregular migrants in border regions, the interior minister said.

The crackdown involved 62 operations conducted by the gendarmerie and police across Türkiye's border areas. Of the 82 individuals involved in migrant smuggling, 63 were arrested, while seven were released under judicial control decisions, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on X, on Nov. 15.

The arrests follow on the heels of another significant operation to dismantle an organized crime group known as Sarallar (Sarals). The group, whose name has been a recurrent presence in the public consciousness since the early 2000s, was reportedly responsible for various criminal activities.

In an earlier statement, Yerlikaya disclosed that 24 suspects, including the leaders of Sarals, were captured in operations conducted in Istanbul. The group's alleged founder, Hüseyin Saral, established the organization in the 1990s, and though he was killed in 2005, the group continued its illicit activities.

Over the years, law enforcement has launched numerous operations against the Sarals, resulting in various legal proceedings. In June 2022, a comprehensive operation spanning 13 provinces led to the detention of 117 individuals associated with the group.

Notable figures among the detainees included businessman Erdal Acar and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) official Şahin Gürz, who were later released.

In a significant development earlier this year, İlyas Saral, purportedly one of the organization's senior members in recent years, was apprehended at Brussels airport following a red notice. After extradition to Türkiye, Saral was arrested but subsequently released.

In the latest operation, Yerlikaya identified Özgür Saral as the leader of the criminal organization. The minister's statement on X outlined a range of serious charges against the group, including looting, assault, armed attacks and involvement in prostitution activities.

The Sarals are recently alleged to have posed a serious threat to the safety and well-being of residents and security personnel in Istanbul.