Macedonia Uncovers Truck of Illegal Immigrants

The passengers were hidden in a Macedonian cargo truck entering the country that was reported to be transporting tangerines. They were discovered on Monday after custom authorities on the Bogorodica-Evzoni border crossing became suspicious due to the weight of the vehicle and ordered a more thorough check.

Sixteen of the immigrants were minors. The youngest was only eight years old, police said.

The immigrants told the police that they were promised by a Kurdish group a transport and work in Italy. Some of them had orderly working permits for Greece.

The Bogorodica-Evzoni border crossing is one of Macedonia’s busiest.  It is a favorite crossing used by various types of smugglers and traffickers heading for Western Europe as their final destination.
 
Police detained the truck driver for further questioning. He claims he has noting to do with the incident.