Authorities in Croatia are searching for a suspected migrant smuggler believed to be connected to the deaths of four migrants near the country’s border with Slovenia.
According to Croatian police, the suspect is a 22-year-old man from Montenegro who is currently on the run. Investigators believe the migrants were transported in extremely overcrowded conditions that may have caused the victims to suffocate.
Police said the suspect could face charges linked to human trafficking and causing death if arrested. The offences reportedly carry a possible prison sentence of up to 15 years.
Earlier this month, authorities discovered four migrant bodies and 15 survivors near the village of Donje Prilisce, around 70 kilometers southwest of the Croatian capital, Zagreb. Officials later found another 11 migrants believed to belong to the same group in Slovenia before they were returned to Croatia.
Reports indicate the migrants had been transported inside a cargo truck under what authorities described as “inhumane conditions.” Police believe the driver abandoned the group near the border before fleeing the scene.
Two migrants from the group were hospitalized in poor condition, although one person has since been released. Authorities are still working to identify the victims and confirm their nationalities through post-mortem investigations.
The tragedy has raised fresh concerns about the dangers migrants face while traveling through the Balkan migration route. Croatia and Slovenia remain key transit countries for migrants hoping to reach Western Europe through routes stretching from Turkey and Greece into the European Union.
Many migrants traveling through the Balkans aim to continue toward countries such as Italy, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
According to Frontex, more than 12,500 irregular border crossings were recorded along the Western Balkan route in 2025. Although the number was lower than the previous year, humanitarian organizations believe many crossings go undetected.
Aid workers and migration experts say stricter border controls often force smugglers to take more dangerous routes and pack migrants into overcrowded vehicles or unsafe transport conditions.
The International Organization for Migration recorded at least 22 migrant deaths along the Western Balkan route in 2025, with additional deaths already reported this year.
European authorities have repeatedly warned that organized crime networks are heavily involved in migrant smuggling operations across the Balkans. These criminal groups also engage in trafficking weapons, drugs, and illegal goods while making billions of euros from migrant journeys.
Europol recently launched a new anti-smuggling center to strengthen investigations and disrupt trafficking networks operating across Europe.
According to Europol estimates, over 90 percent of migrants entering the European Union through irregular routes rely on smugglers. Depending on the route and services offered, journeys across Europe can cost migrants thousands or even tens of thousands of euros.
Human rights groups continue to warn that migrants traveling through the Balkan route remain exposed to violence, exploitation, dangerous river crossings, overcrowded transport, and abuse from trafficking networks.