Syrian Crime Clans Rapidly Expanding: 1,000 Members in Leipzig Alone
Saxon police have identified criminal structures within four Syrian clan families in the Leipzig area involving 700 to 1,000 individuals, with 130 already known for crimes ranging from drug trafficking to fraud.
Raiko Märtins, head of the Organized Crime Department at the Saxon State Criminal Police Office, told the outlet that approximately 130 individuals from this environment are already known to police for criminal offenses. The spectrum of crimes ranges from violent offenses and drug trafficking to money laundering, human smuggling, and tax and welfare fraud. Firearms have also been seized during operations.
Investigators have observed that family members register commercial businesses and in some cases act as front men. Drugs are sold from back rooms of late-night shops or bars. Other relatives register vehicles or accounts in their names and hold assets for family members.
One Man, Three Wives, 32 Children, 25 Grandchildren
Märtins illustrated the scale of individual families by describing a Syrian extended family with more than 60 members. It includes one man who, under Islamic law, is married to at least three women and has at least 32 children. Police are also aware of at least 25 grandchildren living in Saxony.
Nearly two-thirds of the members of this core family have already come to police attention for criminal offenses, in some cases multiple times. The number of registered offenses is in the triple digits. Individual family members are known for serious violent crimes and drug offenses.
A Leipzig judge, in connection with a member of this family, has already spoken of a parallel society without any effort at integration. Märtins sees the problem extending beyond individual cases. Clan members partially finance their lives through illegal business, do not accept German justice, and instead rely on their own “peace judges.” The investigator stated that they fundamentally despise the German state and the entire system.
Welfare Benefits While Running Million-Euro Operations
Since October 2023, Saxony has operated a dedicated Task Force Clan, which brings together the State Criminal Police Office, Federal Police, tax office, customs, and tax investigation authorities. A key focus is welfare fraud. According to the State Criminal Police Office, job centers and other agencies frequently fail to recognize that applicants with different names belong to the same family and may have no entitlement to benefits at all.
Since the task force was established, there have been approximately 40 major operations. Investigators believe that individual clan structures generate millions of euros through illegal business. Parts of the money are transferred abroad via the hawala system, which is banned in Germany, or invested in properties in Dubai.
Märtins is calling for consistent action even on minor violations, advocating for a zero-tolerance strategy against clan criminality.
With information from Junge Freiheit
