Turkiye has arrested over 38,000 migrant smugglers since 2016

ANKARA

Turkiye has arrested a total of 38,117 migrant smugglers since 2016, the country’s migration authority said Wednesday.

According to data from the Directorate General of Migration Management, some 9,200 of the smugglers were remanded in custody.

Emphasizing that the fight against irregular migration continues uninterruptedly, it said migrant smugglers are subject to various sanctions, both judicially and administratively.

“The number of migrant smugglers caught in 2022 increased by 53% compared to the same period last year, which was recorded as 2,545,” it said.

Turkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants aiming to cross to Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

“Turkey continues to host the largest number of refugees worldwide, as the number of people forcibly displaced across the world due to conflict, violence, and persecution hit record levels,” according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR.

“Turkey currently hosts some 3.6 million registered Syrian refugees along with close to 320,000 persons of concern from other nationalities,” it added.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar