Joint press release from the public prosecutor's office in Aachen and the State Criminal Police Office of North Rhine-Westphalia (LKA NRW):
On Tuesday (June 16), investigators from the NRW State Criminal Police Office, customs and the Düsseldorf tax investigation department (Task Force NRW) searched over 48 properties in Düren, Cologne, Hückeswagen, Datteln, Bergisch Gladbach, Bergheim, Aachen and Hesse in a case brought by the Aachen public prosecutor's office against a group of offenders from Düren. The officers arrested seven men, against whom arrest warrants had already been issued in five cases.
The proceedings are directed against 32 people aged between 30 and 47
The main defendant (47) is accused of tax evasion, benefit fraud, withholding and embezzlement of wages as well as human trafficking and forced labor. The background to the proceedings are extensive investigations into the demolition companies run by the 47-year-old, which were regularly entered in the commercial register in the name of third parties. In the last six years alone, the suspect and his accomplices generated seven-figure revenues with these companies. The workers, who were recruited exclusively from Eastern Europe (especially Romania and Moldova), were paid hourly wages of less than five euros in some cases. In addition, the vast majority of workers were not registered with the social security institution or the tax authorities. While the tax authorities lost almost half a million euros in social security contributions and payroll taxes as a result, the 47-year-old and his family members, some of whom were co-accused, were also granted social benefits in the high five-figure range over a period of years. The gang had concealed the income from the demolition company from the responsible social welfare office. Among other things, the accused invested the proceeds from the crimes in the purchase of real estate in the north of Düren, which he had purchased through third parties. The foreign workers were housed there at extortionate rents, which provided the gang with another lucrative source of income. In the course of the extensive investigations, the suspicion of a swarming drug trade with a focus on the Düren city area was also confirmed.
In addition to local Düren police forces, special units, service dogs and over a hundred other officers were deployed as part of the searches.
Collection of extensive evidence
Extensive evidence was seized, in particular cash in the high five-figure range, around 10 kg of tobacco (presumably duty unpaid), extensive IT material (cell phones, laptops, PCs and external hard drives), a stun gun and written documents. Four properties with a total value of around 480,000 euros and three vehicles were confiscated.
The evaluation of the seized documents is ongoing. Pre-trial detention was already ordered yesterday for five of the suspects. The two others arrested will be brought before a magistrate today
The NRW State Office of Criminal Investigation adds:
The extended family of Turkish origin targeted by the investigation is part of the clan crime group. Four of those arrested belong to this extended family. In the past, parts of the family have repeatedly attracted attention by being involved in criminal acts and disputes in the Düren area. The lengthy undercover investigations by the LKA NRW led to the operations of the last few days.
