Human smuggling networks operating in Croatia are recruiting young Dutch citizens to transport migrants across the country, InfoMigrants reports. The recruitment tactic adds a new dimension to the Balkan route, where organised groups continue to move people towards Western Europe.

According to the report, smugglers lure young people from the Netherlands with promises of easy money. The youths are then asked to drive vehicles carrying migrants through Croatian territory, a key transit country on the route from Southeast Europe to the European Union's Schengen area.

Croatia holds a strategic position on the Balkan route. Migrants who enter the region from the east typically pass through Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina before reaching Croatian territory, from where they attempt to continue towards Slovenia, Italy, Austria and other destination countries in Western and Northern Europe.

The recruitment of young Dutch drivers points to a broader shift in how smuggling networks operate. Rather than using their own members for every stage of the journey, groups increasingly rely on recruited third parties — often young people who may not fully understand the legal consequences they face if caught.

Under Croatian and EU law, transporting migrants without authorisation constitutes human smuggling, a criminal offence that can carry prison sentences. Drivers caught carrying undocumented migrants across borders risk arrest, prosecution and a criminal record, regardless of whether they claim they were unaware of what they were transporting.

The InfoMigrants report does not specify the exact number of Dutch youths involved or the amounts they are offered. It highlights the recruitment method itself: smugglers approach young people, offer payment, and assign them driving tasks along migration routes.

For travellers and residents in the region, the report underlines the risks of accepting paid driving or delivery jobs from unknown parties, particularly along routes known for irregular migration. Croatian police continue to patrol border areas and internal transit corridors, and vehicles suspected of carrying undocumented migrants are subject to checks.

Anyone with information about smuggling activity in Croatia can report it to the Croatian police. Official guidance and updates on border enforcement are published by the Croatian Ministry of the Interior.