Officials in Greece apprehended 124 migrants on the eastern island of Karpathos on Wednesday after identifying unmarked speedboats in the area.

The coast guard reported that 58 migrants were located during a routine inspection close to the primary port of the island, which is situated in the eastern Aegean Sea. An additional 66 individuals were located in a more secluded part of the northern region, with many being taken into custody on land, following their arrival via another unregistered speedboat.

A 24-year-old migrant was also arrested for allegedly carrying forged identification papers.

Greek authorities attribute the increase in illegal migration to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, leading to a surge of individuals arriving from neighboring Turkey and the Libyan coast. Last year, Greece experienced nearly a 50% rise in illegal entries, with Syrians constituting the largest demographic among those arriving.