Nearly 150 irregular migrants held across Turkey

By Serhat Zafer, Esber Ayaydin, Bayram Sarayoglu and Zekeriye Simsek

ANKARA

A total of 149 irregular migrants were held across Turkey, security sources said on Tuesday.

In central Sivas province, eight Afghan migrants were held in a bus, said a source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The migrants didn't have identity cards and residence permits for staying in Turkey.

A legal action was taken against the bus driver.

Separately, the Turkish Coast Guard rounded up 62 irregular migrants, including women and children, in a boat off Sigacik gulf of Aegean province of Izmir.

The migrants included 24 from Central African Republic, 15 from Congo, 10 from Mali, three from Palestine, two each from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Togo, Senegal and Yemen.

Another 30 irregular migrants -- 22 Afghan and eight Pakistani nationals -- were held in three vehicles in northeastern Artvin province during a highway patrol conducted by gendarme forces.

Four people were also arrested for suspected human trafficking.

In a separate operation in the northwestern province of Edirne, the security forces held 37 irregular migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The security officials also rounded up eight Syrian migrants in southeastern province of Gaziantep and held one person allegedly involved in human trafficking.