SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) — Macedonian police say they have discovered 96 migrants from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan in an abandoned truck near the southern border town of Gevgelija.

Authorities on Tuesday said the migrants had entered the country illegally from neighboring Greece and were discovered by a police patrol on the country's main highway. The driver was not present when the vehicle was searched.

Cross-border smuggling has increased rapidly in the Balkans since countries in the region closed their borders to migrants in March.

Last month, Greek authorities cleared a sprawling refugee camp near the Macedonian border at Idomeni, where dwellers had held out hope for months that the border closures might be reversed.