Italian police ramp up border checks at Slovenia and Ventimiglia

From 1 January to 22 July 2026, the Italian State Police intensified controls on the Slovenian frontier—covering the Trieste, Gorizia, Cividale del Friuli and Tarvisio sectors—and at the Italian‑French border in Ventimiglia. Over the period the operations led to 128 arrests on the Slovenian side, including 40 for facilitating illegal immigration, and 65 arrests at Ventimiglia, with 15 linked to the same offence. Police identified 2 446 irregular migrants near Gorizia and 2 073 across the Slovenian frontier, while 750 were turned back and 92 voluntary repatriations were carried out.

The coordinated effort also involved French mixed‑police units at Ventimiglia, where checkpoints at the A10 highway, the railway station and the San Ludovico and Ponte San Luigi crossings were monitored. In total, 25 830 individuals and 4 622 vehicles were inspected, 1 226 persons and 412 vehicles were formally recorded, and a further three suspects were arrested during the final hours of the operation. The actions aimed at preventing clandestine migration and dismantling migrant‑smuggling networks.