Infiltration of presumed contraband syndicates across five German regions.
About sixteen out of the nineteen sought-after items were discovered there, predominantly in Jena. Subsequent investigations were carried out in Sondershausen, Nordhausen, and Bad Sulza. There were also operations in Baden-Württemberg, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and North Rhine-Westphalia. Five individuals were apprehended, as stated by the spokesperson. These individuals hail from Syria and Iraq.
In actuality, there are eighteen suspects linked to this case, with ages spanning from 23 to 57. The Gera public prosecutor's office is scrutinizing them for involvement in organized and commercial human trafficking. The alleged gang is believed to have facilitated the transportation of at least 140 individuals via the West Balkan route and through Slovakia and the Czech Republic into Germany.
For each individual transported, they allegedly demanded 700 euros. These individuals were housed in a secret location in Jena until the payment was concluded, according to the police spokesperson. To accomplish this, the clandestine Hawala banking method was used in Germany. This method involves transferring money overseas anonymously for a fee.
Despite the primary operations being in various German regions, the Hawala banking method was also employed in the Other parts of Europe where the trafficking activities occurred. The Gera public prosecutor's office is widening its investigation to include potential links in these Other regions.
