SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — A group of 142 migrants was detained near North Macedonia's southern border with Greece early Thursday, authorities said.

A police statement said the detainees were mostly from Syria and Pakistan, and had entered from Greece. They were taken to a shelter pending deportation to Greece.

Police say the number of people illegally entering North Macedonia has doubled so far this year, compared to the same period in 2021.

More than 11,000 people — mostly from Pakistan, Syria and India — have been stopped this year. They usually pay criminal gangs to be smuggled through the Balkans to Europe's prosperous heartland.

Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration