Published: 11:22, June 16, 2024
Report: Germany detects 1,400 unauthorized entries ahead of Euros
By Reuters
Police patrols on artificial grass on the street towards Berlin's landmark the Brandenburg Gate as preparations are under way on June 13, 2024 for a public viewing area during the UEFA Euro 2024 European Football Championship running from June 14 to July 14, 2024 across the country. (PHOTO / AFP)

FRANKFURT - Border authorities in Germany, the host nation of Euro 2024, detected 1,400 unauthorized entries and issued 173 arrest warrants in the week preceding the soccer tournament, according to German newspaper Bild.

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Expanded border controls introduced temporarily for the championships prevented 900 people from entering the country between June 7 and June 13, the Sunday paper said.

The expanded controls include Germany's borders with Denmark, France and the Benelux countries, with travelers from within the Schengen area - who can usually move freely within that area - expected to be checked at airports and ports

"This shows that our measures are working. Above all, we want to identify and stop violent criminals early," Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told the paper.

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Bild did not say how many unauthorized entries into Germany are detected in a typical week.

Some 22,000 federal police officers are being deployed daily to ensure security at the tournament, the report said. "This is the largest operation in the history of the federal police," said Faeser.

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The expanded controls include Germany's borders with Denmark, France and the Benelux countries, with travelers from within the Schengen area - who can usually move freely within that area - expected to be checked at airports and ports.

The temporary controls within the Schengen area are planned until July 19.