German police launched extensive raids early Wednesday targeting a suspected people-smuggling ring, deploying approximately 340 officers across five states in a coordinated operation. The group is believed to have facilitated the illegal entry of at least 140 people into Germany via the Balkans route since December 2022.
The primary focus of the operation was the eastern state of Thuringia and the city of Jena. Federal police reported that 15 of the 19 properties searched were in Thuringia, with 10 located in Jena itself. Searches also took place in Baden-Württemberg, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and North Rhine-Westphalia, with special GSG9 units deployed in Jena.
Five arrests were made during the raids, all in Thuringia. Three Syrian nationals and two Iraqi citizens were taken into custody, with three detained in Jena, one in Sondershausen, and another in Bad Sulza. The case involves a total of 18 suspects, ranging in age from 23 to 57, including drivers and higher-level organizers of the alleged smuggling operation.
Police stated that the raids aimed to “discover and seize evidence that could prove the crimes,” focusing on documents, electronic storage devices, cash, and other valuables. The smuggling operation allegedly charged around €700 ($775) for transportation to Germany from Slovakia, with an additional €500 for transit to neighboring countries.
Payments were reportedly made through the informal “Hawala” transfer system, which is illegal in Germany. Two Hawala intermediaries, known as hawaldar, are among the suspects. Investigators identified the suspects after intercepting several vans, the group’s preferred method of transport, at border crossings.
The operation comes amid heightened political focus on migration issues in Germany, following a recent fatal knife attack in Solingen and the success of the anti-migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in state elections in Thuringia and Saxony on Sunday. The federal police, responsible for border control, led the investigation and raids.
