Germany increases border patrols along migrant 'smuggling routes' to Poland and Czech Republic
Germany will increase its police patrols along “smuggling routes” on the border with Poland and the Czech Republic in an effort to prevent more migrants from entering the country
BERLIN — Germany announced Wednesday it will increase police patrols along “smuggling routes” on the border with Poland and the Czech Republic in an effort to prevent more migrants from entering the country.
The new measures would begin immediately, said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The announcement came a day after police raids in Germany found more than 100 Syrian citizens inside apartments searched in connection with a smuggling ring.
Faeser did not offer any details on how many more border police officers would be deployed but stressed that no fixed border checks would be installed as Germany has been doing along the border with Austria since 2015. In order to introduce such controls, Germany would have to notify the European Commission.
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner wrote later on Wednesday on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, that his ministry would support the increased border control with additional customs officers.
“Border controls are to be intensified to stop smuggling and illegal migration," he wrote. “To ensure that this succeeds quickly, I have decided that customs will support this urgent task with 500 staff.”
Faeser said the new border controls would take place in close cooperation with Poland and the Czech Republic, and would supplement the mobile police patrols already checking cars crossing the border or people trying to enter Germany on foot.
“We must stop the cruel business of smugglers who put human lives at risk for maximum profit,” Faeser said.
Many migrants from countries like Syria,
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