SKOPIE, North Macedonia (HPD) — Police in North Macedonia detained 44 Syrian migrants, including 14 minors, hiding in a truck near the southern border with Greece, authorities said Tuesday.
The driver was arrested on suspicion of belonging to a gang of people smugglers.
Police found the migrants on Monday night during a routine check near the town of Valandovo. They were inside a specially built hiding place inside the huge vehicle.
The migrants are believed to have entered illegally from Greece to go to Serbia and from there to other more prosperous European countries. They were taken to a place of detention for later deportation to Greece.
Police say the Balkan migration route, which runs through North Macedonia, has become busier this year as pandemic restrictions have been lifted.