124 migrants detained on an eastern Greek island after using unmarked speedboats

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Authorities in Greece detained 124 migrants on the eastern island of Karpathos on Wednesday after spotting speedboats without identification markers.

The coast guard said 58 migrants were discovered during an inspection near the main port of the island in the eastern Aegean Sea. Another 66 were found in a more remote area to the north, many of them detained on land, also after using another unmarked speedboat.

A 24-year-old migrant was arrested for the alleged possession of forged identification documents.

Greek officials blame ongoing wars in the Middle East for a spike in illegal immigration from neighboring Turkey and from the Libyan coast. Greece reported a near-50% increase in illegal arrivals last year, with Syrians making up the largest group.

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