Turkey arrests 32 illegal migrants near Bulgarian border

Turkish police on Wednesday busted 32 illegal migrants in the northwest province of Kirklareli near the Bulgarian border, reported a state-run broadcaster.

They were detained during an enforcement operation near the Pinarhisar district when police signalled a truck to stop, which ignored the warning and fled, leading to a chase towards the Derekoy border gate to Bulgaria, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting state-run broadcaster TRT.

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After the chase, the police stopped the truck and discovered 32 migrants of various nationalities hiding in the back. The migrants were transported to the provincial security directorate’s anti-migrant smuggling department.

The local media reports also suggest that the truck driver, who was detained, is wanted for two separate offences.

Kirklareli has recently become a preferred route for irregular migrants attempting to enter Europe illegally via Bulgaria by land. To combat human trafficking, police frequently conduct checks at key points along this route.