Illegal actions or activities. - Reul faces inquiry on potential interaction with a suspected human trafficking mastermind.
Regarding the probe on high-class foreigners intruding into Germany, a significant political figure jumps into the spotlight on Tuesday at 8:30 am. North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) is going under the spotlight in the Interior Committee of the Düsseldorf State Parliament.
He asserts that he had 8 separate interactions with a Cologne attorney, claimed to be the leader of a contraband network, who served time in a pretrial facility. The suspect propelled the CDU parliamentarian from the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis in the 2022 election campaign with nearly 30,000 euros.
Reul narrated to the "Cologne City Anzeiger" that the attorney gave off an image of a conservative, religiously motivated person in diverse social occasions. "I've never thought he could be involved in something dubious," revealed the 71-year-old to the news outlet. Thus, he also "didn't see any issue with the party receiving the money."
The purported contraband organization is said to have facilitated residence permits for wealthy people from China and Oman. Authorities swept apartments in 8 different states in conjunction with this operation in April. Inspectors suspect that the presumed illegal traders might have bribed superiors in various agencies, ensuring their foreign clients receive the desired residence permits.
Agenda of the Interior Committee (Tuesday) - 8.30 am
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- This scandal surrounding potential associations between North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister, Herbert Reul, and a suspected human trafficking mastermind has come to a head in Düsseldorf's Parliament, specifically during the Interior Committee meeting.
- The CDU politician, along with the attorney from Cologne, who is believed to be at the helm of a smuggling gang, have had eight documented interactions since the 2022 state election campaign, with the attorney providing financial support worth nearly 30,000 euros to Reul.
- Amidst this controversy, Reul expressed his surprise and trust in the attorney's character as a conservative and religiously-motivated individual, stating that he never anticipated involvement in dubious activities.
- The Interior Committee is now focusing on the alleged involvement of Reul in an immigration scandal, where it is thought that the smuggling gang facilitated residence permits for wealthy individuals from countries like China and Oman.
- As the German government faces mounting pressure on migration matters in North Rhine-Westphalia, the focus of the Interior Committee meeting on Tuesday will undoubtedly provide critical context and potential solutions regarding this crisis.
- The outcome of the investigation and the Committee meeting could have significant implications for both Reul's political future and the CDU's stance on immigration policies ahead of the upcoming elections in Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
