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- October 13, 202617°
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- October 13, 202617°
Kapıkule sees return rush as 3.7 million passengers cross the border
Edirne Governor Yunus Sezer announced that 3.7 million passengers and 1 million vehicles had entered or exited through the border gates during the season for citizens living abroad, which began on June 22. The average waiting time fell from 39 minutes last year to 27 minutes, while about 60,000 more people are expected to return.
Edirne Governor Yunus Sezer said at Kapıkule Border Gate that the return of citizens living abroad was continuing and that the season for their return had entered its final 10 days.
Sezer said waiting times had been managed more effectively than last year thanks to talks with officials in Bulgaria and coordination between the two sides of the border.
3.7 million passengers entered or exited
Since the season began on June 22, 3.7 million passengers and 1 million vehicles have entered or exited through the border gates. Sezer said about 60,000 people were expected to return to the countries where they live over the next 10 days.
Sezer said the busiest period occurred one week earlier last year, adding that traffic remained heavy this year. He said 5,587 vehicles exited the country yesterday and that the record for vehicle departures over the past three years had been broken.
Average waiting time falls to 27 minutes
Sezer said the average waiting time had fallen to 27 minutes this year, from 39 minutes during last year's return season. He said waiting times occasionally reached two hours on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, when traffic was at its heaviest.
Sezer said traffic was expected to ease gradually in the coming days and that work was continuing to help citizens cross the border gates more quickly and comfortably.
1,471 personnel are working at the border gates
A total of 1,471 customs and security personnel are working at the border gates around the clock. Because of the return season, 137 temporary personnel were assigned to customs and about 90 to security.
Sezer said the personnel would remain on duty until the end of the season. He announced that uncertainties over the collection of highway and bridge tolls and traffic fines, particularly problems involving duplicate payments, had been resolved through work by the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.
Drug seizures increase fourfold
Sezer said efforts to combat smuggling and drug trafficking were continuing alongside measures to speed up passenger crossings. He said customs, security and gendarmerie teams had seized approximately four times more drugs this year than during the same period last year.
Sezer announced that about 400 kilograms of drugs had been seized as of this week, adding that efforts to prevent drugs and smuggled goods from entering the country were continuing.
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