Germany: Major nationwide raids target human smuggling ring

German authorities on Wednesday raided several premises allegedly linked to a suspected people-smuggling network, a police spokesperson said. 

The German federal police and customs authorities carried out the raids, mainly in Berlin and Brandenburg, west of the capital. A special anti-terrorism unit was also deployed, according to the German daily Die Welt. 

Around 1,000 officers were deployed for the raids, the German news agency dpa reported. 

What we know about the raids

Wednesday’s raids are linked to around 20 people suspected of organized crime, including forging official documents, human trafficking and illegal employment, according to the police. 

According to the dpa news agency, citing a police spokesperson, a network of temporary employment agencies in the Balkans and in Germany allegedly brought workers from non-EU countries, forged identity documents for them and placed them in large German logistics companies.

Across 10 German states, police searched dozens of premises, including logistics centers linked to the investigation, the suspects’ apartments and the accommodation of the temporary workers.

Authorities are expecting to seize assets across Germany that are worth millions of euros, according to dpa. 

fb/sms (dpa, ARD, AP) 

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-major-nationwide-raids-target-human-smuggling-ring/a-60053208?maca=en-rss-en-ger-1023-xml-atom