Police in North Macedonia have arrested two Kosovo nationals on suspicion of migrant smuggling after they were found transporting two Pakistani migrants on a highway in the south of the country, authorities said.
The arrests were made late on April 8 on the A1 highway near the locality of Kluçka–Smokvica, according to the Interior Ministry.
The suspects, identified as S.B., 61, and H.S., 53, were detained after officers searched their vehicle, a Skoda Rapid with Kosovo licence plates, and discovered the migrants inside.
Police said the individuals were taken to a police station, while the migrants and the vehicle were transferred to the Vinjug transit reception centre near Gevgelija.
“After full documentation of the case, appropriate criminal charges will be filed,” the ministry said in a statement.
North Macedonia lies along a key migration route through the Balkans, used by migrants attempting to reach the European Union. Authorities have in recent years stepped up border controls and enforcement against smuggling networks operating in the region.