Busted at the border

Ukrainian (18) was smuggling children in the trunk of his car

An illegal transport was stopped at the Bavarian border and a minibus with a hydraulic box on the underbody was stopped near Vienna.(Bild: Bundespolizeidirektion Rosenheim)

Trafficking is a lucrative business - and makes traffickers get creative. On Sunday evening in Vösendorf, Lower Austria, the police were able to see for themselves just how creative. A witness had previously called the emergency services.

According to the witness, he had observed a van from which refugees had climbed out. A short time later, five Syrians aged between 16 and 50 were discovered, along with the van and a Bulgarian (36) driving it. The confessor had been paid 6000 euros per person for the journey.

He had accommodated the migrants in boxes under the floor slab (see photo below). These could be opened hydraulically. The smuggler was taken to prison.

An illegal immigrant transport was stopped at the Bavarian border and a minibus with a hydraulic box on the underbody was stopped near Vienna.(Bild: Bundespolizeidirektion Rosenheim)

(Bild: LPD NÖ/L.Topf)

Child and teenagers crammed into the trunk
A case from the Bavarian border was equally shocking. An 18-year-old Ukrainian picked up six underage Syrians in Slovenia for 3000 euros per person to take them through Austria to Germany. He wanted to supplement his salary.

Four children, including a seven-year-old, were sitting on the back seat without seatbelts, a five-year-old and a 15-year-old were crammed into the trunk. The 15-year-old was so weak that he threw up in front of the police officers.