According to figures provided by the interior ministry in Ankara, a total of 22,455 people have been stopped by local authorities while seeking either to cross the borders between Turkey and EU illegally or to illegally enter Turkey. About 10% (2,209) of them were stopped at sea, much of the time in an attempt to reach Greek islands in the Aegean Sea.

 Fewer weighing anchor from Turkish coasts

 After the agreement between Ankara and Brussels in March 2016, the number of migrants and refugees leaving daily from the Turkish coasts has dropped steeply, from several thousand to a few dozen. Since the beginning of the year, according to UNHCR figures, there were 26,821 migrant landings in Greece: a sharp decline from the 173,450 in the entire year of 2016. Both Turkey and the EU say that this was the result of strengthened cooperation on illegal migration. The agreement has, however, been strongly criticized at the legal and humanitarian levels by NGOs and observers. Over 40% of the arrivals in Greece are still Syrian refugees fleeing the war, followed by Iraqis (19.7%) and Afghans (11.5%). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said that another 4,448 people arrived in Greece via land since the beginning of the year.

Almost 500 traffickers arrested

 UNHCR has recently noted an increase of landings on Italian coasts of migrant boats arriving from Turkey. The figures are still limited, however, given both the significant distance between the coasts and the costs of this route, higher than those of the Aegean in part because they are conducted using sailboats or other luxury vessels in an attempt to better disguise the trafficking of the migrants. Activities to fight human trafficking continue in Turkey. Over the past month, Turkish authorities have arrested 476 suspected traffickers in police operations over the past month.