Over the weekend, officials of the Royal Dutch Marechaussee units reported eleven stowaways detained in the port of Rotterdam. The migrants included one Moroccan, an Algerian, a Palestinian, and eight Albanians.
Five of the migrants were originally found in an abandoned truck at the port when a police dog alerted officers on patrol.
Police later found the other stowaways throughout the port. The Moroccan, Algerian, and Palestinian individuals were found after climbing a fence into another section of the port on Saturday. The remaining migrants were discovered after Marechausse agents reviewed security camera footage.
Rotterdam port is Europe’s largest seaport, and is a common route for migrants attempting to enter Europe. Dutch law enforcement agents have increased deployments to ports throughout the Netherlands in attempts to curb the rise in irregular migrants in recent years.
While the majority of travellers into the Netherlands are found to be from eastern Europe, Migrants from North Africa have also been found trying to covertly enter the country.
Moroccan emigrees have a history stretching back nearly 60 years in the Netherlands. After the Dutch invited Moroccan guest workers into the country in the 60s, Moroccan nationals quickly built a thriving community in the country. As a result, the Netherlands continues to be a prime destination for Moroccans seeking economic opportunity in Europe.