Vienna crackdown exposes illegal labour, hygiene violations in overnight raids
A large-scale enforcement operation in Vienna has uncovered multiple violations across local businesses. Authorities detained several individuals for immigration offences and shut down a bakery due to severe hygiene issues.
The overnight checks targeted restaurants, bakeries, and other shops in the city's Brigittenau and 18th districts.
Police, along with the City of Vienna, ÖGK, the Market Authority, and AMS, carried out the operation from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. The team focused on businesses suspected of breaching labour, hygiene, and immigration laws.
At a bakery in Brigittenau, inspectors found three Serbian men—aged 26, 35, and 42—working without proper permits. The site was immediately closed after major hygiene failures were discovered, including a cockroach infestation in the baking area. In a separate incident, a 25-year-old Indian national was arrested in a restaurant in the 18th district for staying in Austria illegally. Meanwhile, a Slovak driver was stopped after his vehicle was found with serious defects and no valid licence. The man was also under an active entry ban and tested positive for drugs. His licence plates were confiscated, and he was deported. The operation follows 16 similar coordinated checks at Vienna train stations in 2026, involving immigration police, federal asylum authorities, and patrol units. Another enforcement action took place on 20 March 2026 at Meidling station.
The bakery remains temporarily closed while investigations continue. Those detained under immigration rules were transferred to a police detention centre. Authorities have confirmed further checks will be carried out in the coming weeks.
