5 human smugglers, 144 irregular migrants held in Turkey

AFYONKARAHISAR, Turkey

Turkish security forces said on Thursday they caught 144 irregular migrants and five human smugglers in the country's western provinces.

In Afyonkarahisar, they began a search operation after receiving intelligence that the migrants were entering the province.

As many as 99 irregular migrants, 22 of whom were children of Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals, were found in three minibuses.

The security forces confiscated the vehicles and cash worth 20,165 Turkish liras (about $2,000), an amount apparently charged by the smugglers.

While the smugglers were arrested, the migrants were sent to provincial migration authorities.

In a separate operation, 45 migrants were rescued off the country's western coast, the Turkish Coast Guard Command said.

After receiving information that rubber dinghies with migrants onboard stranded off the district of Marmaris in Mugla province, the Turkish coast guards launched an operation, saving 33 people.

Another 12 irregular migrants were rescued after being pushed back by Greek forces to Turkish territorial waters in Datca district.

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.

The country, which already hosts 4 million refugees, more than any other in the world, is taking new security measures on its borders to prevent a fresh influx of migrants.