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Turkish sergeants detained over illegal human trafficking

Xinhua, June 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Turkish authorities arrested three sergeants on Wednesday, along with 11 others, over alleged human smuggling activities in the country's western provinces of Izmir and Aydin, Dogan News Agency reported Thursday.

The detention of the 14 suspects, also including local municipality personnel, came as gendarmerie forces conducted simultaneous raids in the two districts of central Aydin, and in Izmir.

The suspects are accused of organizing illegal journeys of 265 migrants in eight different incidents, sources told Dogan.

Human smuggling activities on the Aegean between the Turkish and Greek coasts have increased massively in recent years. The international community expects them to step up measures to curb the illegal immigration that has led to the deaths of thousands of migrants fleeing their war-ravaged countries to seek refuge in Europe.

Around 850,000 migrants and refugees crossed into Greece in 2015, paying smuggling gangs to ferry them over from Turkey in frail boats. Hundreds have lost their lives during the crossings.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that 3,771 migrants were killed while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe last year. Enditem