Deportation of an Afghan drug dealer from Vienna to Kabul – more cases in progress
A convicted Afghan drug dealer was deported from Vienna to Kabul on Sunday morning as part of Austria's ongoing efforts to deport foreign criminals. Austrian authorities accompanied the 31-year-old man on the flight via Istanbul before officially handing him over to Afghan authorities.
The man was born in 1992 and was convicted last March for attempting to sell drugs in Vienna to an undercover police officer. Austrian authorities confirmed that his crimes included several offenses related to drug trafficking.
The deportation came after months of planning. Earlier this year, a delegation from the Federal Office for Migration and Asylum (BFA) visited Afghanistan to coordinate with local authorities, while an Afghan delegation visited Vienna last September to discuss cooperation mechanisms for implementing return operations.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed the operation and noted that similar deportation operations are planned for both Afghanistan and Syria. He emphasized that the government is committed to implementing deportation decisions against foreigners convicted of serious crimes, stating: "Anyone who does not respect our laws must leave."
This is the second deportation of an Afghan this year, while Austrian authorities continue to prepare for additional deportations from other countries in the coming weeks. The government reaffirms its firm stance on removing foreign criminals from the country.