Turkish Authorities Detain 97 Refugees in Truck Near Border with Bulgaria

Syrian refugees wait for back to Syria near Oncupinar Border gate in Kilis, Turkey, 08 February 2016. Photo: EPA

Turkish authorities detained 97 Syrian refugees, including 22 children, in the trailer of a truck near the border with Bulgaria on Sunday.

The migrants were caught when they attempted to illegally cross the Kapikule-Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint.

The truck was stopped for inspection by police patrolling the area due to the suspicious behaviour of the driver, who overtook the other trucks waiting in the queue and proceeded straight to the customs.

According to Turkish Daily Sabah, the refugees were picked up from Selimpasa in Istanbul.

All refugees, some of whom had been close to suffocation due to the lack of air, were accommodated at the migrant center in Edirne.

The driver of the truck was also detained and will be sued for human smuggling.

In another case occurring close to the border with Bulgaria, 31 Syrian refugees and the driver of the truck transporting them were detained near a Turkish village.

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