German Police Arrest Syrian National for Alleged Human Smuggling
A 32-year-old Syrian national has been arrested in Germany for allegedly organising and facilitating the smuggling of people into the country. The suspect, who holds a temporary residence permit, is accused of supplying forged identity documents and transporting migrants across borders.
The arrest took place in the early morning hours as part of a large-scale operation involving around 120 police officers. The suspect's apartment in Mettmann was searched, along with locations in Bonn, Witten, and Sprockhövel. During the raids, police seized several mobile phones, documents, and a semi-automatic pistol.
Investigations into the suspect began in January 2025 by the Federal Police Criminal Investigation Inspectorate in Stuttgart. He is accused of recruiting Syrian nationals without valid entry and residence documents and transporting them to Germany using trucks across the Turkish-Greek border. The suspect's three brothers and another person are also under investigation for supporting the operations.
The detainee will be brought before the examining judge at the Wuppertal District Court today. The Federal Police, in cooperation with the Public Prosecutor's Office in Wuppertal, is leading the investigation.
The arrest of the 32-year-old suspect is a significant development in the ongoing investigation into human smuggling operations. Authorities continue to work to dismantle these networks and bring those responsible to justice.
