Prague, Oct 10 (CTK) – The Czech police carrying out more random controls along the border with Austria today detained five migrants, including four at the border and one in Prague centre, foreigner police spokeswoman Katerina Rendlova has told CTK.
The number of police officers deployed along the border was raised from 200 to 720 and they guard 20 border crossings instead of the previous 14.
The police exposed three Syrians on a train in Breclav, south Moravia, and their 15-year-old compatriot was detained in nearby Mikulov.
“Je was without accompaniment, that is why we contacted the socio-legal protection of children body,” Rendlova said.
She said a Pakistani citizen was detained in Prague’s Wenceslas Square.
Since this morning, police from nine regions and newly also customs officers have been deployed along the border. Previously, police from only four regions were assisting the foreigner police.
“We have extended the controls mainly at smaller border crossings. We want to be sure that the migrants do not use them instead of those at which controls were already applied and this was known,” Rendlova said.
The foreigner police say the migrants now travel in small groups, most often in cars, on buses, or they walk. Trains are used less often now.
The military is also ready to help the police. Some 650 soldiers have been on alert close to some border crossing with Austria since Friday night. They can be deployed within two hours.
The Czech Republic is bracing itself for the possibility that Austria would close its border after Hungary has completed the construction of a border fence. As a result, the migrants could cross the Czech Republic on their way to Germany which is their destination.
The Czech Republic is also ready to cancel some international rail connections.
The foreigner police extended the controls aimed to monitor the movement of migrants around the Czech Republic in mid-June already. Since then, 3088 of them have been uncovered.
