German police bust human trafficking ring linked to Reichsbürger scene

Three people have been arrested in northern Germany on suspicion of trafficking Moldovan nationals on fake Romanian passports. Evidence suggests the networks may have links to the far-right Reichsbürger scene, according to Deutsche Welle.

Some 800 German police officers in the German states Bremen, Hamburg and Lower Saxony raided several apartments and offices connected to a human trafficking ring late on Monday and in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

According to local media reports, three men were arrested — two Germans and a Russian national — on suspicion of smuggling Moldovan citizens into Germany on fake Romanian passports and employing them in security services.

Police said they had been investigating the smugglers since October last year. At least five other people are believed to be part of the trafficking network, including an Austrian family that reportedly owns the security firm that illegally employed the trafficked Moldovans.

The company had allegedly won contracts to supply security services to Hamburg's ports, a number of constructions sites and even homes for asylum seekers.

Source:RRA, Deutsche Welle