Detection of Nearly 900 Unlawful Crossings at Land Borders Uncovered in Previous Scans
Since the implementation of extensive border patrols across all German land boundaries on Monday, a staggering 898 unauthorized entries have been identified within the past five days, as disclosed by a media outlet. Out of these, 640 individuals were swiftly denied entry and 23 had previously been expelled from Germany.
During this period, ten individuals suspected of human trafficking were apprehended, with an additional 114 warrants for their arrest being served. Furthermore, 17 suspects affiliated with extremist groups, including Islamists, left-wingers, and right-wingers, were taken into custody.
Border control operations have been ongoing at German land borders since Monday, acting upon instructions from Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, intended to curb uncontrolled migration. The operation extends to France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark. These border controls, both mobile and stationary, are initially expected to last six months until mid-March, with the possibility of extension.
According to "Die Welt am Sonntag," 182 attempts to cross the border unlawfully were identified at the affected western border between Saturday and Thursday. Out of these, 100 were thwarted by denying entry. The news source relied on internal statistics derived from federal police headquarters. The Federal Ministry of the Interior opted not to comment on these figures.
The newspaper revealed that 3,626 asylum applications were submitted at German land borders between Monday and Thursday. The previous week registered 3,581 applications, while the week prior saw 3,063. Asylum seekers may submit applications upon arrival or shortly thereafter. For quite some time, stationary border controls have been in effect at the German borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland. The Federal Ministry of the Interior reported that since the implementation of these extended border controls in mid-October 2023 – for example, when inadequate or invalid travel documents were presented – around 52,000 unauthorized entries have been recorded, and approximately 30,000 individuals have been turned back.
Smugglers attempted to exploit these border control measures by attempting to guide 15 individuals across the French-German border, but they were successfully apprehended by the border patrol. Subsequently, these smugglers were charged with human trafficking and face potential expulsion from Germany.
