Smuggling trial in Pasewalk: 20 migrants put in danger!

Smuggling trial in Pasewalk: 20 migrants put in danger!

In recent months, the judiciary in northern Germany has increasingly had to deal with cases of smuggling. The tightened border controls have not only led to an increase in the number of trials, but also increased pressure on the judiciary. The third smuggling trial within a month is currently underway at the Pasewalk district court in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district. A 24-year-old Syrian is suspected of having illegally transported around 20 refugees to the German border. According to nordkurier.de, this is said to have happened on October 7, 2023, when the refugees, tightly packed and unsecured, had to wait in a van for hours.

During the trial it becomes clear that the defendant was convicted of similar offenses in Poland in the past. In addition, the public prosecutor's office bases the allegations not only on the Syrian's actions, but also on the oppressive situation of the refugees. A witness who was also in the van and lives in Wuppertal reported that many of the migrants came to Germany via the Balkan route. It is alarming that the refugees' families paid up to 3,000 euros per person to the smugglers. However, the witness has difficulty remembering the exact details, further complicating the process.

Delayed trial and judges' experiences

Another aspect of the trial is the absence of a crucial witness who lives in Schwerin. This ensures that the process cannot be completed for the time being. Judge Fleckenstein, who already has experience with smuggling practices, will have to continue to deal with this case. In the past he has already sentenced a 56-year-old smuggler from Latvia to two years and four months in prison. Another smuggler, a 37-year-old from Moldova, also received a prison sentence of one year and ten months.

Although the overall number of migrants being smuggled is declining, the problem of dangerous smuggling remains. At the beginning of November, 22 refugees from Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia were picked up after they had been transported in a box truck for over 30 hours. A suspected pair of smugglers from Latvia were investigated in this context and placed in prison. The refugees were forced to pay around 1,800 euros per person for their dangerous journey, plus another 500 euros for a direct trip to Berlin.

A look back at the smuggling statistics

According to the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Police, smuggling crime recorded a decline in illegal migration to Europe in 2024. Nevertheless, Germany remains the main destination for unauthorized entries within the EU. While the total number of illegal entry and stay cases recorded was 267,497, there was a significant decrease in smuggling crime, with a decrease of 76.2 percent to 9,450 cases. However, the risk of smuggling remains high and it is crucial to intensify cross-border cooperation between law enforcement authorities to counteract this crime, as polizei.de reports.

However, for many of the refugees affected, the reality remains threatening and uncertain. It will not be easy for the judiciary to process the increasing number of smuggling cases fairly and effectively.