Germany: Dozens of homes and businesses raided in human trafficking probe

W/S Press officer of Main Customs Office Potsdam Martin Dittmar exiting building of Main Customs Office, Berlin
M/S Main Customs Office Berlin plaque
SOT, Martin Dittmar, Press officer of Main Customs Office Potsdam (German): "The operation is being executed by the Main Customs Office Berlin on behalf of the Federal prosecutor's office. 1,900 customs officers from all 141 Federal Custom Offices are involved in the operation in Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt acting on more than 100 search warrants from the prosecutor's Office."
C/U Hands
SOT, Martin Dittmar, Press officer of Main Customs Office Potsdam (German): "It mainly concerns non-compliance with social security contributions from the construction industry and suspicions of smuggling of foreigners and exploitation of the labour force."
M/S Press officer outside building
SOT, Martin Dittmar, Press officer of Main Customs Office Potsdam (German): "According to initial information, people of various nationalities were affected, so we can't say yet from which countries the foreigners come from."
M/S Journalists
SOT, Martin Dittmar, Press officer of Main Customs Office Potsdam (German): "It is one of the biggest operations in years and also something that is unusual, so with 1,900 officers from 141 offices, it is one of the biggest operations in years in Berlin."
M/S Cameraman
W/S Press officer entering building
W/S Exterior of Main Customs Office, Berlin
SCRIPT
:
Nearly two thousand police and customs officers raided more than 100 homes and businesses in Berlin, on Wednesday in an operation targeting suspected human traffickers, according to press officer of the Main Customs Office Potsdam Martin Dittmar. Properties were also searched in the regions of Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt.
"The operation is being executed by the Main Customs Office Berlin on behalf of the Federal prosecutor's office. 1,900 customs officers from all 141 Federal Custom Offices are involved in the operation in Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt acting on more than 100 search warrants from the prosecutor's Office," said Dittmar.
The raids were carried out on suspicions of 'organised smuggling of foreigners into the construction industry', social security non-compliance and labour force exploitation. According to Dittmar, people from several countries were affected by the illegal activities. More information is expected to be released when the operation is over.