Federal police conduct major raid in Leipzig over alleged human smuggling

A large-scale police operation took place on Thursday morning in the Leipzig district of Connewitz, where federal police officers conducted a search of an apartment. The resident is under investigation for allegedly smuggling sex workers into Germany.

The raid was carried out following suspicions that the individual in question had entered Germany on July 18, accompanied by two suspected sex workers from Vietnam. The group reportedly crossed the border at Reitzenhain.

They arrived with a Hungarian visa

According to police reports, the two Vietnamese women presented themselves as tourists at the border, showing valid passports and a Hungarian visa. However, during routine checks, officers noticed inconsistencies. The women’s luggage did not contain any everyday clothing or hygiene items, which would typically be expected from tourists. Instead, the bags were filled with items used by prostitutes, what sparking suspicion among the authorities.

The police investigation revealed that the day before the border crossing, another Vietnamese individual had already attempted to smuggle the same two women into Germany, but this attempt was unsuccessful.

The raid resulted various items connected to smuggling

Based on these findings, the District Court in Chemnitz issued a search warrant nearly a week later at the request of the local public prosecutor’s office. The raid on the suspect’s apartment resulted in the seizure of multiple items, including smartphones, a Fritzbox router, a USB stick, as well as various documents and invoices, all of which are believed to be connected to the smuggling operation. The vehicle allegedly used for the smuggling was also confiscated by the police.

The operation involved a total of 32 federal police officers from Chemnitz, Leipzig, and Pirna, as well as personnel from the Federal Police Directorate 11. The authorities have yet to release the identity of the suspect or provide further details on potential charges.

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