Serbian special police raided a makeshift camp near the border with Hungary and detained alleged people smugglers found there Wednesday along with weapons, money and about 200 migrants.
The police operation by the Tisa River came two days after the governments of Serbia, Hungary and Austria agreed to take joint action to curb an increased arrival of migrants into their countries.
Serbia's police said in a statement that some of the people from the tent camp were transferred to state-run facilities and others were brought before prosecutors for investigation of migrant smuggling, weapon and drug possession, and committing violent acts.
“Serbia has not been and never will be an area where criminals and scum come and stay, who traffic in people and make money on their hardship and sorrow,” Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin said.
Photos from the scene showed special police searching the camp and escorting a group of people holding their hands above and behind their heads.
Police said they found three handguns, an automatic rifle, knives, machetes and money at the camp site,
At a meeting in Hungary this week, Serbia, Hungary and Austria said they would draft a joint action plan on how to counter the arrivals of people fleeing wars or poverty in the Middle East, Africa or Asia.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of people are believed to be camping in Serbia by Hungary's border, seeking help from smugglers to cross and move on toward Western Europe. Hungarian authorities put up a double-wire fence along the border.
