12 Suspected People Smugglers Arrested

Twelve people suspected of being part of a people smuggling racket were arrested Wednesday morning in northern Germany, Hamburg police said. Police carried out raids in several towns, including Hamburg and Hanover, targeting a number of people suspected of smuggling foreigners into the country and manufacturing false documents. Turkish and Ghanaian nationals were among those questioned by police, while the suspected ringleader, a 36-year-old man, was also under arrest. Detectives believe the gang may have provided the illegal immigrants with false identity papers and visas, allowing them to open bank accounts. Police revealed more than one million euros ($1.2 million) in loans had been obtained from the accounts.