The Minister of Interior of Germany, 
, has agreed with Czechia and Poland to start conducting joint patrols on their territory and to create an anti-smuggling task force.
Announcing the plans, Minister Faeser said that by increasing joint patrols as well as having a task force, the three countries would be able to take effective measures against smugglers and detect and prevent unauthorized entries into their territories.
Together, we want to destroy the cruel business of the smuggling gangs, who make maximum profit from people’s needs and smuggle them across borders in a life-threatening way. At the same time, we must recognise and prevent unauthorised entry at an early stage.
As the German Ministry of Interior explains, Czechia has already expressed its commitment to joining the forces to put an end to people smuggling.
The Polish authorities have also agreed on the plan, saying that they would increase the number of people deployed at the border.
Following a conversation with her Polish counterpart, Minister Faeser said that Germany has also agreed to increase joint patrols.
We have, therefore, now agreed to increase joint patrols between the local police and our federal police on Czech and Polish territory. We are also forming a joint task force to ensure maximum investigative pressure on smuggling gangs.
In addition to the above-mentioned, Minister Faeser ensured that the joint controls would have little to no effect on people, commuters, and trade.
Due to increasing smuggling crime on the German border with Czechia and Poland, the three countries have already agreed on some border measures.
Germany has decided to increase boarded checks on the border with Czechia and Poland, especially along the so-called “smuggling routes”.
The introduction of border checks with Czechia and Poland was ordered by Minister Faeser last week.
Ordering the border checks with the two countries, Minister Faeser said that this measure is aimed at putting maximum pressure on smugglers as well as protecting people who are put at risk when trying to enter the territory of Germany irregularly.
The decision to increase border checks with Czechia and Poland was made following a significant increase in irregular entries this year.
Data from the federal police of Germant show that about 71,000 unauthorised entries were registered from January until the end of August of this year, with the main countries of origin being Syria, Afghanistan, Türkiye, and Iraq.
Moreover, the police revealed that in the first eight months of this year alone, they registered over 1,550 smuggling operations. During the same period, they detected over 1,700 smugglers and more than 20,300 smuggled people.
