In this van, the man was transporting 14 Syrians across Switzerland.Image: Uri cantonal police
A Frenchman tried to smuggle 14 Syrian migrants to Germany through Switzerland. But he was arrested by the Uranese cantonal police after a mind-blowing chase. Narrative.
Kari Kälin / ch media
He is discreet in appearance, rather short, with short black hair, a beard and a mustache. Tuesday morning, this almost 36-year-old Frenchman was taken by two police officers to the Uri high court to be tried. In Altdorf, the trial took place according to the abbreviated procedure. Which means that the defendant admitted the accusations brought against him by the public prosecutor. The hearing therefore did not last long.
The man was wearing a black, green and gray jacket and black pants. He spoke in a low voice and always responded to the court’s questions with the same sentence: “Yes, I admit.” He didn’t let anything else show.
The court sentenced him to 17 months in prison for encouraging illegal entry and traffic violations. Added to this is a fine of 820 francs, for which an alternative sentence of 9 days is possible. The procedural costs, totaling 22,500 francs, were also charged to him. The matter is thus closed. In May, the man will have served his sentence. He is currently in a prison in Zug.
30 kilometer chase
The Frenchman was trying to smuggle migrants through Switzerland to Munich on behalf of a network of smugglers. The dangerous journey began on December 14, 2023 in the Croatian town of Lipovac. In the morning, 14 Syrians got into the back of his van.
Via Slovenia, the Frenchman drove the Fiat Ducato to Padua in northern Italy. The next day, at the Novazzano border post, he evaded control by the Italian Guardia di Finanza and entered Switzerland.
The smuggler’s journey ????
Image: watson
Swiss border guards alerted the Uranian cantonal police. They tried to stop the Frenchman around 10 a.m. at the exit of the Gotthard road tunnel. But he ignored several warnings, drove excessively fast and tried to escape the police by dangerous maneuvers. Finally, after a chase of more than 30 kilometers, he found himself in a dead end in Flüelen, near the old pier.
Image: Shutterstock
A police officer arrested him while brandishing his weapon. But the fugitive did not comply, jumping into the icy Lake Lucerne. This is where his escape ended. The police threw him a life preserver, the man returned to shore and was arrested.
Unconsidered risks
The driver collected 4,000 francs from a network of smugglers for his illegal services. The Syrians, for their part, had to pay between 2,000 and 9,000 francs. They were not injured during the horrific journey and subsequently applied for asylum. We do not currently have any more information about them.
The number of smuggler trips that go unnoticed in Switzerland is difficult to define. But what is certain is that these unscrupulous human traffickers take reckless risks. Fatal accidents have occurred on several occasions in Germany and Austria. Behind it all is a multi-billion business.according to information from Europol.
Fewer illegal entries
In September 2022, a case in Switzerland caused a sensation, when a Gambian residing in northern Italy attempted to smuggle 23 migrants through Switzerland. The people were in the hold of the vehicle, in 5.4 square meters, and were at risk of suffocation. The Nidwalden cantonal police had fortunately stopped the vehicle, which probably made it possible to avoid a tragedy. The driver was sentenced to three years in prison. In court, he expressed regret for his action, explaining that he himself was experiencing financial difficulties. Often, smuggling networks recruit people in urgent need of cash.
In Switzerland, the number of illegal entries decreased last year. Until last November, the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security recorded 28,202 cases of illegal stays and 269 suspected smugglers. In 2023, statistics still indicated 50,185 illegal entries and 388 suspected smugglers. One reason for this decrease: far fewer people are arriving in Italy via the Mediterranean. At the same time, the EU and Italy have paid millions to Tunisia to limit immigration. (aargauerzeitung.ch)
Translated and adapted by Noëline Flippe
