During a raid in five German states early Tuesday morning, police found several Syrians who allegedly entered the country illegally. Five arrest warrants were issued against suspected smugglers. The five arrested were themselves asylum seekers and all had family ties, a federal police spokesperson said. In total, the alleged gang is accused of bringing in more than a hundred Syrians over time.
According to the federal police, the detainees are two women and a man in Stade (Lower Saxony) and one woman and a man each in Gladbeck (North Rhine-Westphalia). “All five are also Syrians,” the police spokesman added.
Paid up to 7000 euros for access
According to the investigation, the suspected illegal immigrants each paid 3,000 to 7,000 euros for their illegal entry into Germany, the spokesperson said. In addition to gang and commercial smuggling of foreigners, the suspects are also accused of money laundering: for example, they used their illegal income to buy gold jewelry. “Then they no longer run out of money,” says spokesman Jörg Martienßen.
350 officers deployed in a major attack
As announced by the Federal Police Directorate at Frankfurt am Main Airport, approximately 350 officers have been deployed on behalf of the Stade Public Prosecutor’s Office in apartments and houses in seven municipalities: in Stade, Balge (both in Lower Saxony), Gladbeck (North Rhine-Westphalia), Fulda , Kassel (both in Hesse), Bremen and Kelheim (Bavaria).
According to Martienßen, there are six other Syrian suspects for whom there is no arrest warrant. Initially there were only five other suspects – also family members of the five arrested suspected smugglers. The gang’s age range ranges from 23 to 50 years old.
Bande switched to the Balkan route
According to Martienßen, after the investigation that started in August 2022, Syrians were first flown to Greece, received real passports from fellow countrymen and then taken to Germany via stopovers, including by plane. The alleged gang later switched to the Balkan route, via which the illegal immigrants reached Germany on foot, by car and truck.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) called the raid an important step. “It is another success in the fight against this terrible smuggling crime,” she said during a visit to Frankfurt. “People without water are locked up in very small spaces for hours and then brought into the country.” She pointed out that the legal framework was also changed. In the future, smuggling activities will always remain a criminal offence, even if those who entered the country illegally are not yet criminally liable. In addition, smugglers’ residence permits may be revoked.
According to Martienßen, during the raid that started at all locations simultaneously in Gladbeck on Tuesday, the federal police seized mobile phones and laptops, as well as the car of a suspected smuggler, among other things. The electronic devices would be carefully evaluated by specialists for further examination. The officials also seized gold worth about 220,000 euros and 16,000 euros in cash.
Refugees as commodities
According to Martienßen, the investigations involving searches of a total of twelve properties “also show in this case how criminal networks take advantage of the personal living conditions and high motivation to flee for those who are trafficked to maximize their own profits.” From the perspective of the perpetrators, the refugees are “a commodity from whose transportation maximum profit can be made.” The alleged gang worked with other smugglers at “way stations” on the so-called Balkan route.
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.
