Turkish authorities on Tuesday launched operations to detain 49 people accused of using automated software to obtain visa appointments in bulk and charging applicants large fees for appointments and related services, local media reported, citing Justice Minister Akın Gürlek. Gürlek said in a tweet the practice had “made it virtually impossible for our citizens to obtain appointments directly.” Approximately TL 918 million ($19.2 million) was collected from more than 41,000 people during the same period, Gürlek said. The investigation comes after months of complaints in Turkey about difficulty obtaining Schengen visa appointments and allegations that intermediaries use automated systems to capture available appointments and resell them at inflated prices. In June the Trade Ministry said seven visa intermediary companies were under investigation over allegations that they used automated software to capture Schengen visa appointments and resell them for hundreds of euros.