Discovered under a blanket

Men hidden in a car: trafficker arrested

A Ukrainian trafficker (32) was caught by the Tyrolean police in Leutasch near Seefeld (Innsbruck-Land district). The man apparently wanted to bring four men - including three Syrians - to Germany. Both he and his "customers" were arrested. 

As the police announced on Friday, officers checked the 32-year-old Ukrainian's car on Leutascher Straße in Leutasch at 10.30 p.m. on Tuesday. They discovered three Syrians (aged 19, 29 and 38) and a stateless man (31) hiding under a blanket. All occupants were arrested immediately.

Because of such cases, smugglers avoid Austria, as we are more likely to apprehend them. Due to the intensive police measures, the prices for smuggling to and through Austria have also risen massively.

Brigadier Gerald Tatzgern

Deported back to Italy
"After further investigations, the suspicion that the Ukrainian had collected a four-figure sum of money from the men in order to smuggle them from Slovenia via Italy and Austria and Germany has hardened," said the investigators. The Ukrainian is now being held in Innsbruck prison.

Some of the victims were deported back to Italy.