ZAGREB, Dec 3 (Hina) - Over the past ten months, the Croatian police arrested over 18,000 illegal migrants and the number could increase, the Croatian Interior Ministry reported Saturday. The police have arrested 18,338 illegal
migrants, which represent an increase of 88 percent in relation to the year before, when 12,314 illegal border crossings were registered in Croatia. The number of migrants who wish to enter west Europe has a tendency to increase, Croatian Interior Ministry spokesman Slavko Rako said. According to data of the Slovene Interior Ministry, the number of illegal migrations via Croatian-Slovene border crossings has increased by 100 percent. About 20,000 illegal migrants entered Slovenia from Croatia this year, read data of the Slovene police. By October 2000, 4,300 illegal migrants have been arrested in the area of the Slovene police station of Omroz which covers 42 kilometres alo
ZAGREB, Dec 3 (Hina) - Over the past ten months, the Croatian police
arrested over 18,000 illegal migrants and the number could
increase, the Croatian Interior Ministry reported Saturday.
The police have arrested 18,338 illegal migrants, which represent
an increase of 88 percent in relation to the year before, when
12,314 illegal border crossings were registered in Croatia.
The number of migrants who wish to enter west Europe has a tendency
to increase, Croatian Interior Ministry spokesman Slavko Rako
said.
According to data of the Slovene Interior Ministry, the number of
illegal migrations via Croatian-Slovene border crossings has
increased by 100 percent.
About 20,000 illegal migrants entered Slovenia from Croatia this
year, read data of the Slovene police.
By October 2000, 4,300 illegal migrants have been arrested in the
area of the Slovene police station of Omroz which covers 42
kilometres along the north west part of Croatia. This number is four
times bigger that the number of illegal migrants registered in the
same period the year before.
Early last week, the Slovene police arrested Josip Loncaric. Two
and a half years ago, Loncaric, who has both Croatian and Slovene
citizenship, was sentenced to seven months in prison in Croatia for
illegal smuggling of eight Egyptians from Hungary to Croatia.
Loncaric is also wanted in Italy for illegal smuggling of several
thousands of Chinese citizens. The Trieste Court has sentenced
Loncaric to six years in prison for organising a chain of illegal
migrations. He has been speculated of earning about DM100 million
in this illegal business.
The Slovene police believe they broke the chain of illegal
smuggling of people by arresting Loncaric.
Two days after Loncaric's arrest, the Croatian police apprehended
23 Iranian citizens near Krizance village and another 43 illegal
migrants near the Licko Petrovo Selo border crossings.
The Interior Ministry failed to comment on whether those arrests
were related to the breaking of the Loncaric smuggling chain.
According to data of the Interior Ministry, Croatia borders were
most often illegally crossed by Romanians (5,241), Turks (5,017),
Iranians (4,518) and Yugoslavs (808).
(hina) it