Police officers from the Maramures County Police Inspectorate found 39 foreign citizens in a forest near Asuaju de Jos village in Maramures county, northern Romania.

The 39 foreign citizens had no IDs, but they seem to be from the Middle East, from countries such as Syria and Irak, reports local Agerpres.

None of them showed any signs of violence or physical aggression. On Sunday, they were handed over to the Regional Centre for Accommodation and Procedures for Asylum Seekers in Somcuta Mare town in Maramures county, an institution subordinated to the General Inspectorate for Immigration.

Under the law, all 39 migrants are to benefit from support from the state authorities.

The number of migrants who try to get to Western Europe via Romania has increased in recent months. They usually try to enter Romania from Serbia, but some of them also try to cross the Danube illegally, from Bulgaria.

Border Police: 29 Syrian migrants caught at the Romanian-Serbian border

More migrants cross the Danube by boat to Romania, on their way to Western Europe

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com