The increasing volume of uncovered human trafficking crimes related to Austria clearly shows: the problem is growing enormously! In Germany, for example, ‘only’ 242 people smugglers were arrested in 2019, in 2022 there were already 712, almost three times as many!
The number of detained migrants has also skyrocketed from 41,600 (2021) to 109,000 (2022): “The methods are becoming increasingly brutal. The smugglers are only interested in making criminal profits. On the other hand, they often don’t care about human lives,” says Gerald Tatzgern, head of the Federal Chancellery’s central anti-trafficking office, in the controversial krone.tv interview with Gerhard Koller.
High escape costs
Those smuggled into their countries of origin usually had to pay 8,000 to 15,000 euros to flee. In addition, there is extra money, with which they would be deceived with various tricks on the escape route: “There is a photo showing how 200 people are being dragged into a truck, packed tightly together,” Tatzgern sharply criticizes. Hypothermia, hunger, thirst, but also “death by suffocation” are no longer uncommon. According to Tatzgern, those who are dragged are sometimes sexually exploited, for example in Africa.
Tatzgern says local police are present and on duty throughout the Western Balkans to keep the smugglers under control, but more people have been arrested in 2022 than in 2015, the much-cited peak of the refugee influx.
In the video above you can see many more details, such as the technical equipment of the tugs
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
