In 2023, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) recorded a significant increase of approximately 60% in infiltrations.
The German Criminal Police (BKA) noted a surge in people being smuggled into Germany. The trend is on the rise, and both smugglers and immigrants are taking bolder chances, utilizing various methods not commonly used before.
Last year, police saw a massive surge in human smuggling incidents in Germany. Approximately 7,920 cases were reported, a significant increase of over 60% compared to the previous year, as per BKA in Wiesbaden. Simultaneously, the number of suspected individuals rose by around 25% to 4,404. Majority of the suspects in human smuggling cases were of Syrian, German, Turkish, and Ukrainian origin.
Authorities voiced concerns about the rise in individuals being transported in dangerous containers. "Small vans were often used for this purpose, as they are simple to rent and do not require a special driver's license," the BKA explained. These travels posed risks of oxygen or water deficiency, hypothermia, or injuries from accidents. The number of individuals discovered in the cargo area of a small van in Germany nearly doubled in the 2022/2023 comparison, according to the German Crime Report on Human Smuggling.
Escape tactics after smuggling attempts
Smuggling groups were increasingly acting in a more reckless and careless manner towards the people they were transporting, third parties, and law enforcement agencies to evade detection. "Without considering the passengers' or other road users' safety, the smuggling vehicle is transformed into an escape vehicle," the BKA said. Over 200 escape attempts were reported in Germany in 2023 in connection with so-called container smuggling, with an incident occurring in one out of four instances.
The BKA also disclosed that the police's criminal statistics showed that 266,224 suspects were registered for illegal entry and residence last year. "Suspicion of smuggling into Germany" was associated with around 39,700 people, an increase of around 33.4% compared to the previous year. The primary origins of the suspects were Syria (54,207 people), Turkey (35,732 people), and Afghanistan (35,370 people).
Illegal border crossings by migrants at the German border decreased by 7% compared to the previous year, as announced by the Federal Police in the latter part of July 2024. Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser ordered fixed controls at the land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland in mid-October of the previous year and extended them on multiple occasions. However, half-yearly figures are not entirely reliable due to the absence of the whole annual trend.
Smugglers opt for alternative routes
Lessons from BKA's experience suggest a shift in smuggling routes in 2023. Compared to the previous year, there was an increase in border crossings over the EU/Schengen external borders through the central Mediterranean to Italy (central Mediterranean route) and via the eastern Mediterranean to Greece (eastern Mediterranean route). On the contrary, border crossings on the Western Balkans route, for instance, via Albania, and the Eastern route, for example, via Russia to Poland, saw a reduction.
Nonetheless, every second smuggled person, according to this, arrived via Poland (41.9%), about every third from Austria (29.4%), and about every fifth from the Czech Republic (22.5%). The refugees who made it to Germany were primarily on foot (37.1%), in small vans (25.6%), or in cars (24.3%). Many of those caught on foot may have been brought close to the border by cars or small vans beforehand, as per the BKA's report.
Messaging services like Telegram and WhatsApp were predominantly used for communication in human smuggling operations, as reported by the BKA. Additionally, smuggling organizations used social media to advertise their services. Mainly through Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, active recruitment was carried out using short videos to smuggle into Germany. The same approach was utilized to recruit drivers.
Wagenknecht: No EU country as appealing as Germany
BSW chairwoman Sahra Wagenknecht blamed the federal government for the surge in smuggled migrants. "Germany offers substantial financial incentives and very few deportations, even if the asylum application is denied," said Wagenknecht. "This toxic mix makes Germany as appealing for uncontrolled migration as no other country in the EU."
Wagenknecht criticized the coalition for creating a long-term and intractable problem by allowing illegal immigration. "This unfortunate legacy of the 'traffic light' coalition remains, even if it dissolves tomorrow," said the party founder.
As an example, Wagenknecht suggested Denmark, where a Social Democratic government pursues a stringent migration policy. "Germany must finally convey a message to the world that the loss of control is over, as Denmark has done," said Wagenknecht. "Those without protection status should not anticipate financial aid - except for departure."
In response to the rising issue of human smuggling, the German government announced tighter border controls at land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. This move was made to address the influx of smuggled individuals, mainly from Syria, Turkey, and Afghanistan, as cited in the criminal statistics.
Despite the efforts to curb illegal immigration, Germany remains an attractive destination for migrants due to its generous financial incentives and low number of deportations, as critiqued by Sahra Wagenknecht, the chairwoman of BSW.
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