Whether it was helping lost migrants in a Greek bay, coordinating an international action against human trafficking or supporting the German authorities during the Euro 2024 football championship, Frontex officers found themselves busy in June. Click to read last month’s stories from the field!
News
Last month in the field: June 2024
2024-07-12
Help for lost migrants in Greece
We command respect to the officers from the Danish National Police, the Royal Danish Navy and EU border guards from Frontex, who searched in the scorching sun for two migrants lost in the Kouni Bay in Greece.
They found and rescued the exhausted, dehydrated elderly couple and imrpvised shoes from their sweaters to protect the feet of the bare-foot woman. Given the harsh conditions of the area and unfriendly landscape, they decided to carry and support them for over 3.5 hours to reach the nearest village, where a local fisherman helped transport everyone to the nearest bay, where a boat was waiting with help.
We command respect for the whole Danish-Frontex crew for their extraordinary physical effort, empathy, selflessness, and professionalism. The elderly couple spoke only Arabic and yet a human-to-human understanding was found beyond any common words.
Joint action against human trafficking
We’re proud to share the results of a recent major operation coordinated by Frontex – JAD Global Chain.
With the participation of 40 countries, as well as Europol and Interpol, this international effort led to the arrest of 219 traffickers and the rescue of over 1 370 victims of trafficking. Each arrest and each person rescued reinforces our determination to stamp out the crime of human trafficking.
JADs are organised under the umbrella of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats. Frontex coordinates the efforts of all partners strategically and operationally, connecting the border police, police, and customs communities, ensuring a fast exchange of information in the operational area for maximum efficiency against cross border crimes.
Support to Germany for the duration of EURO 2024
Frontex has sent additional officers to support Germany during EURO 2024 games.
28 specialists have provided their expertise at the Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Dusseldorf, Cologne and Stuttgart airports to ensure safer and more efficient border checks for football fans.
“We’re all on the same team when it comes to security and safety. Our partnership with Germany for EURO 2024 ensures that every fan can enjoy the beautiful game in a safe environment. This event is a true celebration of European unity and teamwork,” said Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens.
The deployment of additional officers to German airports is a part of Frontex’s readiness and capability strategy to support EU countries in managing large-scale events.
Stolen bikes detected in Moldova
Do you like to ride a bike? How much are you willing to spend to buy one?
Some of us are ready to invest thousands of euros in such a purchase. Just pay attention from whom you buy it and how you secure it after.
Expensive bicycles, stolen from Germany, were detected on entry in Moldova, due to the close cooperation between the national authorities in Leuseni and our EU border guards working there.
During thorough checks performed after the driver denied having something to declare to the customs officers, the joint team uncovered six stolen bicycles hidden inside big black plastic bags, each worth around 3 500 euro.
We remain on duty at EU’s external borders. Have a great biking season!
