Two years in prison for towing: 14 migrants are in danger!

Two years in prison for towing: 14 migrants are in danger!

In a significant judgment, a 34-year-old in Korneuburg received a two-year prison sentence for towing on Tuesday. The guilty verdict is already final. The man played a central role in the illegal locking of 14 people in a small van to Austria. The occupants were mostly Turks and Kurds, which were transported under extremely agonizing conditions, as [KURIER] reported.

The incident occurred on September 11, 2023. The circumstances of the transport were alarming: at least twelve people were found in the closed loading space of the van over several hours, whereby each person was only available for an area of ​​0.21 square meters. The oxygen supply was insufficient, which indicates a blatant disregard of fundamental human rights. The defendant presumably operated in interaction with at least two accomplices, the identity of which has not yet been clarified, as the [Kleine Zeitung] confirmed.

tractor crime in an international context

This story is part of a major problem that the state authorities in Austria and Europe are facing. Tugs, which is often associated with violations of human rights and extreme exploitation, is combated internationally. On November 20, 2024, a coordinated police operation took place in several European countries to combat tractor crime. If you want to learn more about the mechanisms of these criminalized networks, the [BMI] offers valuable insights.

As part of this international commitment, under the direction of German authorities and supported by Europol and Euro Just, several house searches were carried out in Austria and other countries. For example, two 24-year-old Syrian citizens and three other Syrians aged 37, 43 and 46 years were arrested in Vienna. In Innsbruck, the police arrested a 33-year-old Syrian citizen. Overall, these measures contributed to the uncovering of a dangerous tractor network that has been active since 2021 and whose members are predominantly Syrian citizens.

A look at the numbers

• the tractor network generated estimated 3.4 million euros.
• The costs for the transport of a person amounted to around 12,000 euros.
• already in 2023 Europol founded a special working group to combat tractor crime, which also involved the Austrian Federal Criminal Police Office.

A continuous exchange of information and strategies between European countries is considered essential for the breakdown of such networks. The problems associated with towing not only raise legal questions, but also show the challenges that migrants are facing in Europe. It is estimated that these criminal activities are still a serious problem and require the support of the whole international community.

With the judgment in Korneuburg, a small but important step in the fight against towing is evaluated. These measures are necessary to counteract the terrible conditions in which many migrants suffer.