Athens  - Greek police were questioning in the western port of Patras Wednesday three coast guard officers believed to have been involved in smuggling thousands of illegal migrants to Italy and Western Europe.

Officials who said they had the officers under surveillance for some time were also searching for truck drivers who provided the migrants with forged documents.

The western port of Patras is a major gathering spot for thousands of immigrants from Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, who attempt to stow away aboard a ferry bound for Italy, believing they have better chances of work.

Police say the number of immigrants living in makeshift camps by the port waiting to sneak onto a ship now exceeds 4,000 and the camp is no longer manageable.

Dozens of would-be immigrants are intercepted by police every week, with smugglers constantly coming up with imaginative ways to conceal their illegal passengers.

Reports on Wednesday said two illegal immigrants were found zipped into two travel bags on the back seat of a car being driven by a foreigner whose wife was in the passenger seat.

Greece has found it very difficult to cope with the surging number of illegal immigrants arriving in inflatable rafts along its coastline which borders Turkey. (dpa)