SAKARYA, Turkey 

Police in Turkey's northwestern province of Sakarya detained on Sunday 23 irregular migrants, officials said.

On a tip-off, teams stopped a minibus at the Anatolian Highway toll plaza in which Afghans and Pakistanis who had entered the country illegally were travelling.

They were brought to the public security branch office, and will be handed over to the provincial immigration administration after the necessary paperwork.

Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

It hosts nearly 4 million refugees, including over 3.6 million Syrians, more than any other country in the world.

*Writing by Merve Berker