Human trafficking drastically rising

32 percent increase in people-smuggling cases in 2014

Feb 3, 2015

Rigspolitiet, the national police, has reported a huge increase in human trafficking cases. Last year alone, police investigated 80 cases of trafficking, more than five times as many as 2013 when there were only 15 cases investigated.

Jesper Beuschel, the leader of the police's ant-trafficking group, explained to Metroxpress that they heard from Europol that there was a "big increase in people-smuggling cases", which resulted in a "co-ordinated effort" that yielded an increase in cases.

"They pay smugglers to come from the Middle East and enter via Turkey and Greece," deputy police inspector Tom Struve told Metroxpress. "We often encounter them on international trains from Italy and Germany."

Getting creative
Human trafficking is a lucrative business and smugglers are becoming more creative and organised in their methods.

A deputy police inspector, Palle Linné, told Metroxpress that once they stopped a camper van from Italy filled with 18 Syrian refugees who were stuffed in cabinets and the toilet.

In another case, traffickers disguised as ambulance drivers used an Italian ambulance to transport people. They were caught at Kolding Hospital, but were released as the people had already left.

"The following week the same ambulance drivers were caught in Austria with 14 illegal aliens," another deputy police inspector, Verner Pedersen, told Metroxpress.

"Rumours are that they get 700 euros per person – children are half-price," explained Linné to Metroxpress. "That is why it is so organised. That's a lot of money if you fill up a motorhome or minibus."

Cases up all over
Human trafficking cases are rising across the country. Nationwide, police filed 123 cases of human trafficking in 2014 – 30 more than last year, representing an increase of 32 percent.

The Copenhagen Police only investigated one case in 2010, but had 18 cases last year. South Jutland Police, which patrols the Danish borders, had a total of 82 trafficking cases, and Lolland-Falster Police is currently investigating a smuggling ring responsible for at least ten trafficking operations.