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13 security personnel accused of smuggling refugees through Vienna Airport

26 May 2015 23:21 (UTC +04:00)

Payments for exchange were believed to be in the range of 7,600 to almost 10,000 U.S. dollars per person, refugees -- overwhelmingly of Sri Lankan origin -- were whisked past security checks by the accused, something they were able to do "due to their official status."

The 13 suspects had overseen numerous flight departure procedures on behalf of Austrian Airlines (AUA), which allowed them to enact their smuggling operation.

Their activities became known to authorities after they had tried to recruit further security staff to their operation, and also because one of the refugees was stopped and turned back by immigration officials upon arrival in the United States.

Two suspects are currently in custody and the prosecutors have put out six further arrest warrants, on charges of smuggling as part of a criminal organization.