Tension on the border between Czechia and Slovakia keeps rising, as every day more Syrian immigrants try to make their way into Western Europe.

Czech police last week fired warning shots at vans carrying migrants trying to flee from border checkpoints, and over the weekend, a vehicle carrying a group of Syrians crashed as it tried to evade authorities.

The high-speed chase - caught on police dashcam along the Czech and Slovak border, shows a white van carrying nearly two dozen Syrian immigrants. Police say the vehicle didn't stop at the border checkpoint.

Minutes later, it crashed in a residential area. From the wreck, police rescued 21 injured people, including five children. They detained the driver and another man suspected of smuggling the group into Czechia.

"The smugglers were taken to the police department and charged with the crime of organizing and enabling the illegal crossing of the border," said Petr Vala from the South Moravia Police department.

Last week, Czechia stepped up controls along its border with Slovakia to curb the rise of illegal immigration.

The country has seen a 1,200 percent increase in illegal border crossings this year.

CGTN traveled to a remote trail that, according to police, is often taken by Syrian immigrants on their way to Western Europe. We found articles of clothing and other items they had left along the way. Sometimes migrants wait there for the right moment to dash across the border into Czechia.

Those that manage to evade border authorities often end up at the main train station in Prague, where a team of volunteers offers them first aid, clothing, and food.

"It's very heartbreaking to see people fleeing from war; there is no doubt there is a war in Syria," said Lu Gregarová a volunteer with refugee support group Inicitiva Hlavak. "They have a very long road; some of them have walked through Europe by foot."

Mohammed, his wife, and his one-year-old son started their journey more than a month ago, crossing from Turkey into Greece, before making their way to Hungary, Slovakia, and Czechia.

The family were resting for a few hours before renewing their trek into Western Europe.

"The situation here is good, but hopefully, it will be better in Germany." said Mohammed.

Another group of men showed us their damaged cell phones, which they said were smashed as Hungarian border guards beat them when they tried to cross.

Some made it into Hungary on their first attempt, others had tried three or four times.

"I don't know how we survived; there were times we had no water, no food, encountered violence from police," said a Syrian migrant who didn't want to share his name.

Since imposing border controls last week, Czech police have detained more than 200 immigrants along the border. They also arrested more than 20 suspected human smugglers. But the flow of migrants continues despite increased police controls. The perils of their journeys are sometimes evident in the scars they bear on their bodies.