Polizeieinsatz (Symbolfoto)
Foto: Michaela Rehle/ REUTERS
The Federal Police in Krauschwitz, in the district of Görlitz, have arrested a missing 15-year-old who is suspected of smuggling 27 people into Germany using a transporter. The teenager from Syria had previously been living in a children and youth facility in Thuringia for nearly two years. In August, he ran away and has been sought since then, according to the Federal Police in Ludwigsdorf.
The 15-year-old told the police officers that he did not have a driver’s license and had only learned to drive a few days ago. The boy was arrested, and on Tuesday, a judge ordered him to be held in custody for further investigation.
Late on Monday evening, the police stopped the van with Swedish license plates, which was being driven by the teenager. There were 27 refugees in the car, and according to the teenager, he had taken over the van approximately 200 kilometers before the German-Polish border. 23 people on board held Syrian citizenship, while four others were from Yemen.
The police also arrested two more men, aged 25 and 27, late in the evening, who had just driven across the border into Germany in a car at the same location. According to a spokesperson, there is suspicion that they are connected to the alleged smuggling. However, the investigations regarding this matter are still ongoing. The men are said to live in Brandenburg. They are also scheduled to appear before a judge. When questioned by the authorities, they claimed to have been refueling in Poland.