Slovenian police arrested two drivers on Wednesday for illegally transporting foreign nationals near the Croatian-Slovenian border, and the migrants have announced they will seek international protection.
Slovenian police arrested two smugglers on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, who were illegally transporting over 100 migrants in a truck and a van near the Croatian-Slovenian border. The operation took place in the areas of Obrežje and Drnovo, not far from the Bregana border crossing, as reported by OG Portal Ogulin, citing the portal 24ur.com.
The first tip-off came in on Wednesday just before 7 a.m., when a citizen informed the Novo Mesto Police Department that they had spotted several people exiting a truck in the Drnovo area, with the driver continuing on. Police soon located the vehicle with Serbian license plates in Obrežje, arrested a 37-year-old Serbian national, and seized the truck loaded with wheat.
In the wider Drnovo area, officers then found and arrested 69 nationals of Bangladesh, 28 nationals of Pakistan, one national of Ghana, and one national of Nepal. These are nearly a hundred foreigners who are suspected to have entered Slovenia hidden in the truck.
In the afternoon, police received another tip-off, this time about the suspicious behavior of a van driver in the Jesenice area. Officers found and arrested a 27-year-old Slovak national in Drnovo, also near the Croatian-Slovenian border.
He was transporting 27 foreigners in the van, of whom 25 were Egyptian nationals, one was a Turkish national, and one was a Russian national. All had illegally entered Slovenia.
Both arrested drivers will be brought before an investigating judge with criminal charges for the offense of illegal border crossing. The foreigners who illegally entered Slovenia have expressed their intention to apply for international protection.
In total, more than 100 individuals were arrested in this operation, indicating the continued migrant pressure on the Croatian-Slovenian border.
The police particularly thanked citizens whose vigilance and timely reports significantly contributed to the successful outcome of both operations. The Novo Mesto Police Department called on the public to immediately report any suspicious circumstances, emphasizing that "public cooperation is of utmost importance in ensuring safety and detecting criminal activities."
