Vienna police carried out a large scale overnight operation across the city’s main train stations, arresting two people and checking the identities of around 150 others in a targeted campaign against illegal migration, according to Kronen Zeitung.
The coordinated action began late Friday and continued into the early hours of Saturday. Thirty-five officers from various units, joined by police trainees in their final training phase, swept through the Westbahnhof, Meidling, and Hauptbahnhof stations. Their task was straightforward but serious: check documents, identify suspects, and make their presence felt in places where countless travelers pass each night.
Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) visited the operation in person, calling it a vital part of efforts to curb irregular migration. “Our goal is to reduce illegal migration to as close to zero as possible,” he said, describing the fight against human smuggling as central to maintaining national security.
According to police, the night’s operation led to 150 identity checks and two arrests. Vienna’s Deputy Police Chief Dieter Csefan explained that the city is deliberately stepping up inspections in busy public spaces. “We are increasing control pressure in order to strengthen safety and order,” he said, adding that the strong visibility of officers helps deter criminal networks.
This was far from an isolated effort. So far this year, Vienna police have conducted 16 such raids focused on immigration checks. Similar measures are taking place across Austria, with authorities crediting the stricter approach for a notable fall in illegal border crossings.
Nowhere is that decline clearer than in Burgenland, near the Hungarian border. While in the same week last year officers detained more than 240 migrants, this year’s figure dropped to just 13, a remarkable shift officials link to tougher controls and more coordinated enforcement nationwide.
