700 refugees dragged: 15 arrests

The smugglers likely brought 12 to 15 refugees from Hungary to Austria on each trip. “Your vehicles have been prepared for these trips,” says police spokesman Johann Baumschlager. The rear seats were removed, the window panels were tinted and the shock absorbers in some cases were strengthened with iron transverse bars.

Baumschlager said 700 refugees are said to have been moved across the border in this way, “organised from Vienna, which is why further investigations are underway with supporters or accomplices”. 14 cars and 15 tractors were taken out of service, dozens of cell phones and several thousand euros in cash were seized by officers of the state criminal police office.

Most of the refugees from Syria, Lebanon and Egypt are likely to have traveled to Germany. The smugglers were brought to the Kornoburg prison. They have all been recruited through social media in their home countries of Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. As a result, they have been given the prospect of salaries of between 2,000 and 3,000 euros per month,” a police spokesperson told noe.ORF.at.

Smugglers make false promises

Each refugee was paid between 4,000 and 5,000 euros for the trip to Austria. “Smuggling is not only one of the largest branches of organized crime, it is above all a very inhumane branch,” said Interior Minister Karl Nehammer. “False promises are often made to refugees,” the minister said in a radio broadcast: “Affected people often pay thousands of euros and risk their lives only to discover that they are not given the right to stay.”

This year, 337 smugglers were arrested across Austria, compared to 311 the year before. And the investigators of the Criminal Police Office of the State of Lower Austria once again proved their expertise.” Information about cars with darkened windows and Hungarian license plates can be provided under the number 059/133-30-3333.