Greek authorities have detained migrants who arrived in three separate boats to the southern Greek island of Crete, on Tuesday with over 70 in immigration authorities’ custody.
According to data updated by the United Nations refugee agency, more than 28,000 migrants have arrived illegally in Greece this year, a rate slightly lower than in Italy and Spain.
According to reports, routes of smugglers usually trace back to Syria, Egypt, Sudan and Bangladesh.
Local officials in engagements with reporters noted that the migrants which included six children arrived before dawn on the tiny island of Gavdos, near Crete’s southern coast
Reports indicates that smugglers typically target Greek islands close to Turkey’s coastline, but in recent months they have increasingly chosen longer routes to Crete and islands in the central Aegean Sea, where coast guard patrols are more relaxed.
Meanwhile, the Greek government is considering setting up state-funded processing centers on Crete to assist local authorities. Currently, migrants are housed in sports facilities, disused buildings, and schools during the summer months.