"Operation Fox"

Sophisticated tactics against the smuggling mafia

Police officers from Hungary and Austria work closely together at the border.

(Bild: Schulter Christian)

Since "Operation Fox" has been running, the gangs seem to be afraid of approaching the border and being caught. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) and the police grandees took a look at the successful project in Andau on Friday.

The Ministry of the Interior's "Operation Fox" was launched in December 2022: 40 police officers have been deployed to prevent illegal border crossings in cooperation with their Hungarian colleagues and to arrest people smugglers. The operation has been crowned with success, as was announced yesterday in Andau. While 20 smugglers were arrested in January and February last year, only one was arrested this year. The number of refugee arrests has also fallen. In the first two months of 2023, 3317 people were taken into custody, compared to just 157 this year. In total, 188 smugglers were sent to prison thanks to "Operation Fox".

Provincial Police Director Martin Huber, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Federal Police Director Michael Takacs (from left) at the on-site inspection in Andau.

(Bild: Christian Schulter)

It is now our task to ensure that smugglers have to give Austria a wide berth.

Innenminister Gerhard Karner

Highly encouraging figures
"Just a year ago, there were droves of young men on the road in the border towns in the districts of Neusiedl am See and Oberpullendorf. Vehicles were parked around. That was very stressful for the population," says Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). "Now the figures are extremely pleasing. I am proud of our police officers. But we must not rest now and must continue the fight consistently." Since "Operation Fox" has been running, word has got around among people smugglers that the risk of being caught has increased enormously. "It is now our job to make sure that the smugglers give Austria a wide berth," says Karner.

At the moment, we are seeing more and more smugglers switching to other routes that do not lead through Austria, reports Provincial Police Director Martin Huber. And: "The price of the journeys is also likely to have increased drastically."

Second office in Heiligenkreuz
In order to continue the success story, the number of police officers will be increased from 40 to 60. In addition to the base in Hungary, a second office is being set up in the south of the country. According to Federal Police Director Michael Takacs, this is almost complete and will soon be occupied in Heiligenkreuz. "We will also continue to upgrade our technology and intensify border point and border area controls."

Drones will also be used regularly

(Bild: Schulter Christian)

The Minister of the Interior is already thinking about the next steps. "In the foreseeable future, the Burgenland officers will make their expertise available to the other federal states, who will benefit from it." And Karner is considering the introduction of payment cards for asylum seekers, which are personalized prepaid master cards that are limited in terms of usage.