Whether it was detecting
stolen cars in Serbia and Bulgaria, or putting out forest fires in
Finland - in September, Frontex officers put a lot of effort to support
the national authorities in managing European borders. Take a look at
last month’s stories from the field!
A stolen cars expert in Bulgaria
How
many people can pride themselves with a car collection built in a half a
year, among which there are an Audi, a Range Rover, a Volkswagen, a
BMW, a Toyota, a Peugeot, and a Bailey Pageant?
Gabi
can! Not as his private acquisitions, but his professional portfolio of
stolen vehicles detected in the first part of 2024, in Kalotina border
crossing point between Bulgaria and Serbia. He is an EU border guard
from Romania who teamed up with the Bulgarian border police officers and
their operational results speak for themselves.
’Manipulated
vehicles are like a puzzle to be solved. It’s a search against the
clock. You have to work smart, to know where and what to look for’, said
Gabriel. ‘Profiling is paramount. Same as being up to date with the
latest ‘trends’ in stolen vehicles area and having thorough knowledge of
the broad, diverse range of cars' technical features.’
What do you say to the travellers who become impatient when you check their vehicle at the border?
‘I ask politely: if your car was stolen, would you want me to do my job thoroughly?'
Putting out fire in Finland
Recently
in Finland, Frontex officers were informed about a fire in a difficult
area in the llomantsi forest. Immediately, they took off to locate the
spot and worked hand-in-hand with the Finnish authorities to control the
fire.
Hats off for everybody involved!
Vehicle experts network in action in Serbia
Frontex
officers can act quickly when it comes to determining the origins of a
car thanks to its network of vehicle experts. The network, established
last year, helps them communicate with each other quicker. It targets
those parts of EU borders that are at particular risk of smuggling
stolen vehicles or parts.
Recently,
Serbian and Frontex officers checked an Audi car with a German license
plate. Everything seemed to be in order with the vehicle, so they let
the driver continue their journey. However, their behaviour struck them
as suspicious, so they used the network to talk with their colleagues in
Bulgaria and Germany.
It
turned out that the driver had a criminal record for fraud and theft,
and that they’ve smuggled cars outside the EU before. The car was seized
at the next border crossing point by the local authorities. The leasing
company that the Audio belonged to terminated the contract immediately
after the phone call.
Modern problems require modern solutions and Frontex is always on the lookout to improve the effectiveness of border control.
