Key points
- Five suspected human traffickers arrested
- Migrants sent to repatriation centre
- Authorities vow continued anti-trafficking operations
ISLAMABAD: Turkish media reported that police in Türkiye have identified and detained 32 Afghan migrants who were found hiding in specially constructed compartments inside a waste tanker.
The operation, carried out in the city of Diyarbakır, also resulted in the arrest of five people accused of organising human trafficking. According to reports, four of the suspects were remanded in custody, while one was placed under house arrest.
Following their detention, the Afghan migrants underwent medical examinations before being transferred to a repatriation centre.
Police in Türkiye said such operations would continue as part of ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and strengthen the country’s borders.
Earlier, Turkish police arrested 23 Afghan migrants who entered the country illegally during an operation in Turkiye.
The DHA news agency, citing Turkish police, reported that the Afghan migrants were found inside a “TIR” cargo truck in the city of Erzurum, concealed within a customs-sealed container. The police also detained the truck’s driver.
Turkish authorities stated that the arrests were part of an enhanced security operation conducted during the New Year celebrations.
