Serbian Police Detain 2 People Suspected of Smuggling 38 Migrants

Two men, who organized illegal transportation of migrants, were arrested in Serbia, according to the statement of the Serbian Interior Ministry

BELGRADE (Sputnik) — The Serbian police prevented the smuggling of 38 migrants and arrested two individuals, who allegedly organized their illegal transportation, the Serbian Interior Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

"The police found three minibuses with migrants from Afghanistan in a parking lot near the town of Majdanpek. S.N., born in 1965, and policeman D.P., born in 1986, were detained at the scene. Another two men, suspected of illegal border crossing and smuggling of people, have been put on a wanted list," the statement reads.

Combined units of the police and Serbian army maintain control at the border with Bulgaria in the south-east of the country and at the frontier with Macedonia in the south. According to the Interior Ministry, approximately 3,200 migrants attempting to trespass the country's border have been detected since July 22. The previous arrest took place on August 18, when 30 migrants were found and two smugglers detained in the Serbian city of Nis.

Europe is currently facing a major refugee crisis, with hundreds of thousands of migrants attempting to reach wealthy EU member states through various routes, including via Italy, Greece, Turkey and Balkan states. Despite Brussels' efforts to curb the migration influx, many people still continue to attempt to reach the European Union.