Croatian authorities have opened a major investigation into a migrant smuggling network that allegedly moved hundreds of people across the country’s borders this year. The Croatian Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Service (USKOK) confirmed that eight Croatian citizens and one Pakistani national are under investigation for their roles in the large-scale operation.
According to official reports, the group is suspected of illegally transporting at least 624 migrants across 137 cases between January and September 2025. Prosecutors estimate that the network earned nearly €300,000 from the operation. The money was allegedly collected from migrants who paid to cross into Croatia and other parts of the European Union, often at high personal risk.
Authorities claim the suspected ringleader is a 31-year-old Croatian man who coordinated the scheme. Investigators believe he organized transport routes from Bosnia and Herzegovina into Croatia, using towns such as Split, Dugopolje, Trogir, and Zadar as transit points. These routes deliberately avoided official border crossings in an attempt to evade detection by security forces.
The ringleader also allegedly arranged temporary housing for migrants while they awaited further transport deeper into the EU or other Schengen countries. Reports suggest he directed other members of the group, and even unidentified accomplices, to pick up migrants at secret checkpoints before moving them to pre-arranged destinations.
Payments for the journeys varied widely, ranging from €100 to €1,000 per person, depending on the distance and final destination. Prosecutors say the scale of the operation highlights how smuggling networks exploit vulnerable migrants, charging them high fees while exposing them to unsafe conditions and legal risks.
The case has drawn attention not only for the size of the network but also for the organized nature of the scheme. USKOK described the operation as a criminal association, noting that each member played a specific role in collecting, housing, and transporting migrants.
Prosecutors have requested that seven of the suspects be placed in pre-trial detention, citing risks of witness tampering and continued criminal activity. The Split District Court will now decide whether to approve this request.
This investigation comes as Croatia faces increasing pressure at the EU’s external border, particularly with Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has become a key entry point for migrants seeking to reach Western Europe. The case also underscores broader EU concerns about smuggling networks that profit from migration routes while undermining border security and migrant safety.