Greek Authorities Detain Migrants on Crete as Smugglers Explore New Routes

Greek authorities have detained a group of migrants on the southern island of Crete, as human smugglers shift to new routes in response to increased border enforcement.

On Tuesday morning, 76 migrants were apprehended by authorities on the island of Crete in southern Greece. They had arrived on three boats as smugglers endeavor to discover alternate pathways within the area with an aim to elude coast guard patrols.

According to local officials, a group of migrants consisting of six children and hailing from Syria, Egypt, Sudan, and Bangladesh landed on the small island of Gavdos off Crete’s southern coast in the wee hours. Typically they are detained for verification purposes followed by enrollment at refugee camps where they may apply for asylum as their cases will be evaluated individually.

Lately, smugglers have been selecting lengthier paths to reach Crete and islands located in the central Aegean Sea. They are moving away from their usual focus on Greek islands near Turkey’s coastline due to the heightened vigilance of coast guard patrols in those areas.

There is a proposal by the Greek government to establish processing centers on Crete with state funding, in order to provide assistance for local authorities. Currently, during summer months migrants are accommodated in sports facilities, abandoned buildings and educational institutions.

UNHCR’s latest data reveals that Greece has received over 28,000 illegal migrants this year. However, their arrival rate is marginally lower than Italy and Spain. UNCHR reports a minor decline in the influx of illegitimate immigrants to Greece compared to the post-pandemic surge observed last year.

Human rights organizations have criticized Greece for the way it has treated migrants attempting to reach its shores. Despite accusations from a BBC report in June alleging that dozens of deaths were caused by brutal practices on part of its coast guard, Greece denied any wrongdoing.