Latest report in the media states: Recent news highlights: - Search continues for suspected smuggling ring leader
Attorney freed in probe of foreign wealth infiltration
In the ongoing investigation about the infiltration of wealthy individuals, specifically from China and Oman, the second primary suspect - a 46-year-old lawyer - has been freed from custody, as per news accounts. His legal representative shared with the "Cologne City Anzeiger" (Saturday print edition) that "The judge released my client this morning after the provisional detention."
The attorney and his 42-year-old law partner are assumed to be the heads of the smuggling ring, which is reportedly responsible for bringing mainly Chinese people to Germany using fake investor models in recent years. The 42-year-old had already been released from pre-trial detention in mid-May, under specific conditions.
The "Cologne City Anzeiger" unveiled details from the German Consulate General in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, disclosing their worries about suspicious activities in Solingen in March 2018. The German consulate had shared specific details about the smuggling network in action at that time, naming the 42-year-old lawyer from Frechen, Rhein-Erft district, as a possible mastermind.
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- The public prosecutor's office in North Rhine-Westphalia is closely monitoring the investigation proceedings into the smuggling gang, with the suspected ringleader still at large.
- The "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger" reported that the release of the 46-year-old attorney, accused of playing a significant role in the smuggling ring, has stirred controversy in Germany's migration discourse.
- The Chinese and Omani embassies in Berlin have expressed concern over the ongoing investigation, emphasizing the importance of due process and the presumption of innocence in German law.
- The Düsseldorf public prosecutor's office confirmed that the seized documents and digital evidence have provided strong leads in the ongoing prosecution against the migration crime syndicate.
- The Attorney General's office in Germany has deemed the infiltration of this smuggling gang as a major threat to national security and has vowed to bring all members to justice, including the influential figures from China and Oman.
- Despite the ongoing controversy and the release of the secondary suspect, the German government remains committed to combating migration crime, reiterating its stance on upholding the rule of law and ensuring the safety and security of its citizens.
