The crisis in Ukraine has fueled the trafficking of people smugglers: in 2021 441 people smugglers were arrested in Austria, this year there were 182. Friday in Vienna (see also video above). Since the beginning of May, police have checked more than 40,000 people and arrested 440 illegally staying in Germany.
Interior Minister Karner stated “that smugglers are currently exploiting the dire situation in Ukraine to redefine their business territory.” Smugglers would now actively advertise in other countries that the number of detentions had “increased significantly” – by about 130 percent. Karner explained at the press conference that there were also many people who had no chance of asylum because of their country of origin – such as Tunisia, Morocco or India.
Karner pointed out that smugglers are taking advantage of the aid for refugees from Ukraine and migrants say that the time to travel is right now because there are few checks. It is important to “protect a system that helps people from Ukraine,” stressed the interior minister. He announced further intensive controls – “clear and consistent”.
“Tug bunker apartment” excavated
Since the beginning of May, 910 grid squares have been implemented at border crossings, in the high-altitude road network and in shelters. Up to 1,400 police officers were deployed at the same time, the interior minister reported. “Drones have been used 30 times in the ‘Action Sharp’ alone,” Ruf explains. As an example, he cited the excavation of a “smugglers’ bunker apartment” on May 10 in Vienna. A smuggler and 16 migrants were caught shortly before their onward journey. In Upper Austria, six persons wanted by the court and 33 persons residing illegally in the country were stopped at a grid square on the Innkreisautobahn (A8).
Ruf explained the purpose of such actions with the “extra search pressure” being exerted on human trafficking organizations. The evidence gathered during the arrests, statements made during interrogations, searches and evaluations of data carriers would lead to further investigative methods that would ultimately help in the fight against international smuggling organizations. In this regard, Ruf referred to the breaking up of a human trafficking ring with 205 arrests presented last week, 90 of which were in Austria.
Source: Krone
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