Two smugglers with nine refugees arrested in Lower Austria

Two smugglers with nine refugees arrested in Lower Austria

A dramatic incident occurred in the Mistelbach district where two Pakistani citizens aged 23 and 29 were arrested. The two men had transported nine people, including four minors, in their vehicle, which posed an acute threat to their lives. This was confirmed by the Lower Austria State Police Directorate, which supervised the arrest.

The police were informed on Monday afternoon about a suspicious vehicle that entered Austria from the Czech Republic. The Czech colleagues reported that the vehicle had tried several times to bypass police checkpoints and even damaged a police vehicle in the process. After the driver crossed the border at excessive speed, several patrols formed a search in the Mistelbach district.

Intense pursuit and dangerous escape

The pursued vehicle, which was traveling at a far excessive speed, turned into the Poysdorf area and broke through a roadblock. The driver ignored repeated attempts to stop and continued driving along the B7 at more than 150 km/h. During this high-speed pursuit, a shot was fired by an Austrian officer, fortunately without anyone being injured.

Eventually the vehicle was forced to stop on a dirt road, where officers arrested the two suspects. A small amount of drug was also discovered on this occasion. The driver, who did not have a valid driver's license, had probably previously suffered injuries in a traffic accident in the Czech Republic and was treated at the Mistelbach State Hospital.

The nine people who were in the vehicle without seat belts also required treatment as three of them sustained minor injuries during the escape. All those abducted applied for international protection. Their dangerous journey seems to have planned a longer route that would lead from Hungary via Slovakia to the Czech Republic and finally to Germany.

The Lower Austria State Criminal Police Office has taken over the investigation into the background to the towing. Another vehicle that accompanied the people being dragged was also said to have been involved in these incidents, with the occupants of the accompanying vehicle threatening the people being dragged with weapons in order to force them to continue their journey. The investigation into the occupants of this car and those behind it continues. The situation highlights the ongoing challenges in the fight against human trafficking and the dangers posed by such illegal transactions.

For a detailed look at the case, see the report on www.nachrichten.at.