An investigation by the Upper Austrian Regional Criminal Office (Landeskriminalamt Oberösterreich), the Austrian Federal Police (Bundeskriminalamt), the German Bavarian State Police (Polizei Bayern), the Hungarian National Police (Magyar Rendorseg) and the Romanian Police (Poliția Română), supported by Europol and Eurojust, led officers to dismantle an organised crime group involved in human trafficking for forced begging. The criminal network was particularly violent and it was abusing extremely vulnerable individuals.

Results from 6 April 2022


7 locations searched (1 in Austria, 2 in Germany, 1 in Hungary and 3 in Romania)
4 arrests (1 in Germany, 1 in Hungary, 1 in Austria and 1 in Romania)
Seizures included: phones and other electronic devices, more than EUR 90 000 and RON 9 400 in cash, 1 kg of gold.


Two victims died during this time

Since 2017, national authorities of the four countries concerned have investigated this family-based organised crime group. This has included investigating group members of Romanian and Hungarian origin who were trafficking and exploiting victims in Austria and Germany. The victims of Hungarian and Romanian origin were particularly vulnerable as a result of alcohol addiction and homelessness. They were forced to beg in specific locations in a number of cities including the German cities of Ingolstadt, Nurnberg and Berlin and the Austrian cities of Feldkirch, Linz, Bad Hall and Stayer. They were completely dependent on the criminal network and their documents were taken from them on arrival in foreign countries in which they did not speak the language. The criminal network provided them with a sandwich or just enough alcohol to survive the day, while simultaneously earning over EUR 200 000 from the activities of the 11 victims. The victims were subjected to inhumane treatment and living environments and endured violent behaviour at the hands of the suspects. Two of the victims died because of health-related issues while being exploited in extremely degrading conditions. The criminal gang also forced a similarly vulnerable person to work at their house and treated him as domestic slave.

Europol facilitated the exchange of information and provided analytical support in this investigation. On the action day, Europol deployed a virtual command post to enable the real-time exchange of information between investigators, Europol and Eurojust. 

Eurojust set up a Joint Investigation Team between Germany, Hungary, Romania and Europol in 2021.

Participating Authorities:


Austria: Regional Criminal Office of Upper Austria (Landeskriminalamt Oberösterreich) and Criminal Intelligence Service Vienna, Trafficking in Human Beings Unit (Bundeskriminalamt, Zentralstelle zur Bekämpfung des Menschenhandels).
Germany: CID Ingolstadt (Kriminalpolizeiinspektion Ingolstadt) ), the German Bavarian State Police (Polizei Bayern).
Hungary: Rapid Response and Special Police Services, National Bureau of Investigation, Trafficking in Human Beings Unit (Készenléti Rendőrség Nemzeti Nyomozo Iroda, Emberkereskedelem Elleni Osztály).
Romania: Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism within the Romanian Police (Poliția Română, Serviciul de Combatere a Criminalității Covasna).
 

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