Türkiye's Minister of Interior, Ali Yerlikaya, announced the successful completion of the "Kalkan-33" operations, resulting in the arrest of 115 individuals involved in human smuggling activities across the country.

The coordinated operations were carried out by the Gendarmerie General Command’s Department for Combating Human Smuggling and Trafficking, alongside public prosecutors and the Directorate of Migration Management.

Out of the 115 suspects arrested, 49 were formally detained, 15 were placed under judicial control, and investigations are ongoing for the remaining individuals. Authorities also seized a number of illegal items during the operations, including multiple unlicensed firearms and 78 vehicles believed to be used in the smuggling activities.

Yerlikaya reaffirmed Türkiye's unwavering commitment to tackling irregular migration and the criminal networks behind it. "We continue to resolutely fight against irregular migration and migrant smuggling organizers,” he stated. (ILKHA)