Macedonia: 13 arrested as suspected migrant smugglers

SKOPJE, Macedonia – Macedonian police say they have arrested 13 people, including a minor, suspected of illegally transporting migrants from neighbouring Greece to Serbia and other western countries.

A government public security director, Lazo Velkovski, said Tuesday that police had raided homes in Macedonia’s capital Skopje and two other cities as part of an operation to break up an international smuggling ring.

Authorities say the migrants involved were mostly from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Arrest warrants were issued for 10 other suspects. Six vehicles, more than 27,000 euros ($31,000) in cash, a handgun, and mobile phones were seized during the raids.

Macedonia and several other Balkan countries last year closed their borders to the mass entry of asylum-seekers.