Bulgarian authorities have apprehended 35 undocumented migrants all Afghan nationals during a targeted operation near the southeastern border town of Malko Tarnovo, the country’s state news agency BTA reported. The arrests, carried out on August 18, come amid a broader crackdown on irregular crossings along Bulgaria’s sensitive land routes into the European Union.
According to Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry, the migrants were discovered packed into a single passenger vehicle, a method increasingly associated with organized smuggling rings. The driver, a 22-year-old resident of North Macedonia, was also taken into custody. Investigators are now examining whether he is part of a larger trafficking network operating across the Balkan region.
The Malko Tarnovo area, located near the border with Turkey, has become a frequent transit point for migrants attempting to bypass official checkpoints. In response, Bulgarian border police have intensified patrols and surveillance operations in recent months, with officials citing a steady rise in attempted entries since early summer.
This latest detention follows a series of similar interceptions in the Burgas region. Earlier in August, police stopped a vehicle near the Ropotamo River and detained 20 undocumented migrants along with their driver. In mid-June, another operation in the Poda area, also near Burgas, resulted in the arrest of 32 migrants and their guide.
Under newly implemented regulations, undocumented migrants captured at Bulgaria’s external borders are held in temporary holding facilities for up to seven days before being transferred to designated migrant detention centers, where they await asylum proceedings or deportation orders. Human rights organizations have previously raised concerns about conditions in these centers, though Bulgarian authorities maintain that all procedures comply with national and EU standards.
The recent arrests underscore the ongoing migratory pressure on Bulgaria’s southeastern flank, as well as the country’s evolving role in EU border security. With the bloc’s asylum system under strain, Bulgaria continues to coordinate with Frontex and neighboring Balkan states to curb illegal crossings while balancing humanitarian obligations.
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