German police conduct mass raids on Syrian trafficking ring

German police carried out extensive raids on Tuesday targeting a trafficking ring accused of using Syrian refugees' residency documents to facilitate unauthorized entry into Germany.

Approximately 1,000 officers searched over 50 residential and business premises in and around Leipzig, according to the federal police office in Halle an der Saale.

Authorities believe the ring operated by sending genuine residency documents issued to Syrian refugees in Germany to individuals in Syria with similar appearances.

Most suspects were believed to have allowed their documents to be used in this scheme, while a smaller number were suspected of enabling unauthorized entry.

Police seized evidence including mobile phones, residency documents, flight booking records, and at least €93,000 in cash.

Investigators also identified violations of narcotics and explosives laws, with indications that some suspects had links to organized crime.

Forty-four suspects underwent formal identification procedures.

This operation is part of ongoing efforts to combat document fraud and trafficking amid Germany's large Syrian diaspora, which numbers over one million people.

Since 2024, German federal police have deployed 71 "document and visa advisors" at airports in the Middle East to assist visa sections and airlines in identifying fraudulent cases.

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