Czech News Agency (CTK)
CTK National News Wire
December 16, 2004
HEAD OF REFUGEE CAMP MEMBER OF PEOPLE-SMUGGLING RING
BRATISLAVA, Dec 16 ; (YOP)
The Slovak rail police and the illegal migration police unit broke
up a people-smuggling gan on Tuesday and Wednesday that transported
refugees from the Adamov camp to Austria and the head of the Adamov
camp was part of the 15-member gang, rail police chief Tibor Gaplovsky
said today.
The gang brought the refugees to Bratislava, where they were loaded
on to freight cars and shipped to Austria.
“This is an international crime network connected to other groups
outside Slovakia,” Gaplovsky said. The head of the group is allegedly
an Armenian. Two Azerbajianis, three Russians, an Afghan and eight
Slovaks were also part of the group.
“The group was able to transport at least 115 people through Slovakia,”
Gaplovsky said. However, the total number of refugees is probably
several times higher.
Daniel M. (52), head of the Adamov, west Slovakia, refugee camp was
allegedly part of the group. He gave the refugees passes to leave
the camp in return for money.
The gang charged 200 to 600 dollars per refugee. A total of 800
police officers took part in the bust. The gang members have been
charged with criminal conspiracy, illegal border crossings and money
laundering and they face up to 15 years in prison.