Timeline
54 refugees, including three women and a child, were found on a semi-trailer in the A1 Großram car park in the municipality of Pressbaum (St. Pölten district). The alleged drug dealer was arrested.
04.15.2022 02.14
Online since today, 14:02
According to police, the truck driver, a 46-year-old Polish national, had left the team in the scorching sun for more than an hour on Friday and did not respond to knocks from people being towed into the vehicle. He was arrested and taken to St. Polten.
Alland Motorway Police Inspectorate officers noticed the semi-trailer truck on Thursday afternoon. Knocking noises had already been reported to the police by callers. There, the trailer, in which it was about 40 degrees, was immediately opened. The refugees were taken to a shady spot and given drinks by ASFINAG in cooperation with the rescue service.
LPD Lower Austria The 54 refugees would have traveled from eight to nine hours in this semi-trailer without interruption
Investigations by the Criminal Police of the State of Lower Austria revealed that the migrants reportedly paid around €3,000 per person for transport from a camp in Serbia to Austria. They were to be taken to the Serbian-Hungarian border to cross a border fence from there with the help of smugglers.
Eight to nine hour drive without a break
The refugees should then have been picked up by the articulated lorry. The driver did not stop during the eight to nine hours of travel. Also, there shouldn’t be enough drinks on board.
All 54 people filed an application for international protection. After first aid and interrogation, they were taken to the Schwechat Foreigners’ Police Station. The refugees come from Syria, Palestine, Yemen, Afghanistan and Turkey, Lower Austria state police said in a broadcast.
The 46-year-old truck driver is suspected of having already carried out a similar towing. Investigations into possible additional tours are ongoing. When questioned, the Polish citizen did not confess.