TIRANA, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- An Albanian citizen was arrested on suspicion of trafficking 24 illegal migrants in Pogradec region, eastern Albania, the Albanian State Police said in a statement on Thursday.
According to the State Police, the man identified as E.D. was stopped by the Road Police near the village of Memelisht and 24 illegal migrants were found hidden inside the vehicle he was driving in the direction of the capital Tirana.
The man, aged 26, was transporting 24 foreign nationals from the Middle East countries to later help them travel towards European Union countries in exchange for money, police said.
The police operation code-named "Memelisht" was organized by the specialists of the Illegal Trafficking Unit in the Local Police Directorate of Korca, eastern Albania in cooperation with the police forces of Pogradec Police Station.
"E.D. is accused of the criminal offense of 'Assistance to illegal border crossing' and his case will be further processed by the Prosecutor's Office of Pogradec Court," read the statement.
Since June 1, about 1,300 migrants have been detained for crossing the border illegally, according to the Interior Ministry.
