Investigators: Rich foreigners smuggled into Germany for years
Published: Wednesday, Apr 17th 2024, 15:30
Back to Live Feed
According to the investigators, the suspected criminal smuggling of rich foreigners to Germany had been going on for several years. The investigation was prompted by a tip-off from the German consulate in Canton, China, as well as numerous suspicious money laundering reports from banks.
Hendrik Timmer, the public prosecutor in charge of the investigation, said on Wednesday in Düsseldorf. The investigation was started in 2020, but some of the crimes were committed in 2016/2017.
There are a total of eleven arrest warrants, ten of which have been executed. However, one person is still being searched for. Six suspects have already been brought before a magistrate. They include lawyers, employees of their law firms and a local government employee.
The whereabouts of the majority of the 147 people smuggled by the gang are currently unknown. If they are found, their fraudulent residence permits will become invalid, said Timmer. However, as long as they are listed as suspects and the criminal proceedings are ongoing, their deportation will be suspended. The investigators are still hoping for witness statements from them.
In a large-scale raid against an internationally active smuggling gang in eight federal states, the Düsseldorf public prosecutor's office had ten suspects arrested this morning. According to the information, 38 suspected gang members and 147 people who are alleged to have been smuggled are being targeted. The main suspects are two 42 and 46-year-old lawyers from the Cologne area. In addition to the accusation of smuggling, the public prosecutor's office is also investigating suspected bribery and money laundering.
©Keystone/SDA
English 
German 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic