Raid in Germany

Smuggling gang smashed: two people dead

Four suspects arrested in Germany alone are said to be responsible for 120 smuggling operations involving at least 748 people.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/JORG GREUEL, stock.adobe.com)

More than 20 people have been arrested in a Europe-wide crackdown on a smuggling gang. Four suspects arrested in Germany are said to be responsible for 120 smuggling operations involving at least 748 people. Two people are said to have died during a smuggling operation. 

The suspects arrested in Germany were caught during a raid on eight apartments and business premises in Hanover, Leipzig and Duisburg. Extensive evidence was seized from the men, aged between 31 and 43, including smartphones and computers used in the smuggling operations. The 43-year-old man is also being investigated for incitement to attempted murder in three cases and for aggravated robbery.

More than 30,000 euros confiscated
Coordinated by a senior public prosecutor in Traunstein, there had been parallel operations in several European countries. For tactical investigative reasons, the public prosecutor's office did not want to give any details beyond the number of more than 20 people arrested. However, more than 30,000 euros in cash had been confiscated throughout Europe.

The four people arrested in Germany are said to have collected an average of 4,500 euros per smuggling operation and thus made a total of around 3.4 million euros. The two deaths occurred during a smuggling operation from Belarus to Latvia.

Complex investigations against smuggling organizations
The large number of suspected smuggling operations and their ramifications in various European countries clearly showed how complex the investigations were and how closely the authorities involved had to coordinate their efforts. The suspicion was directed against high-ranking smuggling organizations that used their internationally established smuggling network and organized the smuggling from German residential and business locations via modern communication platforms.

According to the information provided, the traces followed led to Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Austria and the Netherlands. This was preceded by international cooperation between 13 countries, which had joined forces to combat the smuggling network. The Austrian Federal Criminal Police Office announced that it would provide more detailed information on Thursday.