1,000 police officers carried out coordinated raids, targeting around 50 Syrians.
Around 1,000 police officers carried out coordinated raids in Leipzig and Saxony, targeting about 50 Syrians suspected of smuggling migrants and misusing identity documents in an organized cross-border fraud scheme.
German prosecutors in Leipzig launched investigations into Syrian men and women aged 20 to 57, accusing them of sending their identity papers to Syria. These documents were allegedly used by lookalike individuals to enter Germany under false identities. Authorities also suspect some entered illegally or helped smuggle others.
Police spokesperson مارسيل بريتزش stated that embassy staff and airport border controls first detected irregularities when individuals failed to match passport photos. Some suspects were stopped while attempting to board flights to Germany from the Middle East, prompting closer cooperation between police, visa officers, and airlines.
In a separate operation in Stuttgart, police targeted a 30-year-old Syrian man accused of advertising migrant smuggling services via Telegram. Investigators say he organized at least 15 operations, bringing around 66 people into Germany, mainly through the Polish border, and used videos to promote his activities.
Authorities are now examining possible links to organized crime structures, including so-called “clan-like” networks. While raids covered homes, apartments, and businesses in Leipzig, no arrests were made on Tuesday, though suspect data has been handed over for further investigation.
Officials also believe similar passport misuse schemes may exist in other parts of Germany. The issue comes amid a large Syrian population in the country, many of whom arrived during the 2015–2016 refugee wave and later obtained residency or citizenship.