German authorities conduct raids against illegal labor and child abuse

Law enforcement agencies in Germany have conducted large-scale operations targeting different criminal activities in Bavaria and Hesse.

In a crackdown on illegal labor, approximately 180 customs officers searched 17 residential and commercial properties in the Aschaffenburg region. The investigation, led by the Würzburg Public Prosecutor's Office and the Schweinfurt Customs Office, targets four individuals accused of failing to pay social security contributions, fraud against the scaffolding industry social fund, and illegal labor leasing. Authorities suspect that workers from Southeast Europe were being leased to construction companies without proper permits, and some individuals were found to be staying in the country illegally.

Separately, Hessian police and the State Criminal Police Office (HLKA) coordinated a major operation against sexual violence involving minors. Raids were carried out at 84 locations across Hesse, including Fulda, resulting in the seizure of 475 data carriers. The investigation involves 87 suspects, consisting of 83 men and four women aged 15 to 81. The primary allegations include the production, possession, and distribution of child pornography, with ten cases specifically involving the sexual abuse of minors.