Police inspect asylum homes: Westbahnhof in the focus of security!

Police inspect asylum homes: Westbahnhof in the focus of security!

On Monday, June 2nd, officers at Vienna's Westbahnhof station carried out a focus action that drew attention to a sensitive issue: fighting crime in one of Vienna's central transport hubs. This action, which also included checks in the surrounding asylum centers, had the central aim of checking the legality of the stay and possible violations of the immigration police. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) was on site to accompany and support the police work.

In recent years, the Westbahnhof has emerged as a drug trafficking hub. Violent confrontations with injured people are also not uncommon here. According to the Interior Ministry, it was therefore necessary to intensify controls in the basic care quarters where many asylum seekers are housed. Police focused on identifying signs of benefit abuse and radicalization, such as displaying flags of terrorist organizations.

Results of the controls

During the operation, two arrests under immigration law and four complaints were registered, and 140 identity checks were also carried out. Fortunately, no obvious signs of radicalization could be detected. This success report is particularly important because 2,192 priority operations have already been carried out in Vienna since the beginning of 2023, in which a total of 1,198 reports and almost 200 arrests, including 30 minors, were documented.

In 2024, 5,188 priority operations with 728 arrests were registered, underlining the continued need for such controls. In this context, 32 weapons, drugs and over 13,000 euros in cash ended up in the evidence room. Such results are part of strategic planning considered necessary by the Interior Minister to ensure the security of the city.

A look at crime in Vienna

The general crime situation in Austria is showing a worrying increase. In 2023, around 528,000 crimes were reported, the highest level since 2016. In Vienna in particular, over a third of the reported crimes were localized, including around 85,400 thefts - the highest figure to date. There is also a focus on drug crime, which shows an increase of around 35,400 crimes, with Vienna recording over 9,960 of these crimes. The most common drug remains cannabis, while 50% of Austrians support legalization.

Another interesting detail is the question of immigration crime, which has been discussed again and again in recent years. According to reports, around 43% of suspects and convicts in 2022 were foreigners. These statistics contribute to a widespread opinion: 70% of Austrians believe that immigrants make the crime problem worse. In view of such figures, continuous controls in key points such as the Westbahnhof will continue to be indispensable.

In summary, the latest police action at Westbahnhof shows a clear line in the fight against crime and abuse. Citizens can hope for increased police presence and targeted measures to promote a safe environment in the city. Although the challenges remain great, the statistical successes point to serious consideration of these issues.

You can find out more about the current situation and the results of the controls in the detailed reports from meinkreis.at and nachrichten.at, as well as the comprehensive statistics on crime in Austria statista.com.