Veil investigators of the Bavarian border police: While they usually put drug smugglers and car thieves on the autobahn, they are now checking evidence of current corona tests.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the
veil investigators of
the border police have also been in the
anti-corona fight
.
On the
autobahn
, the officers mainly check cars with foreign license plates.
Shortly after Christmas in particular, there is great fear that those
returning to travel will
cause
the number of
infections
to rise sharply.
Passau - three words flash alternately.
“Police please
follow
”
lights up in red in David Vankovics' rearview mirror.
The native Hungarian is on his way back from his Christmas visit near Budapest to Bavaria, where he lives.
He has traveled a long way with his wife and daughter.
A3 near Passau: veil investigators in the anti-corona fight - otherwise the police are looking for serious criminals
The
veil investigators from
the Passau
border police
inspection skilfully threaded their way in front of him after the German-Austrian border on the A3.
He follows the car.
The next exit is down - straight to the
control point
.
Here the colleagues take over.
Despite the icy cold, they have been standing just before the
Passau motorway junction
towards Linz
for hours
.
The job is well suited.
"A typical
Balkan route
,
many people come back
there after the
holidays
," says Alexander Schraml, the head of the investigation team.
Vankovic's license plate made the officers pay attention.
How so?
Corona *
.
Bavaria's veil investigators
, who otherwise specialize in
smugglers
and
serious criminals
, now have a new enemy.
It's tiny, but extremely dangerous.
His name:
SARS-CoV-2.
The officials should prevent him from entering the federal territory by all means.
Corona in Bavaria: veil investigators check travelers returning on the autobahn
The veil investigators have been checking cars for weeks.
Many with
foreign license plates
, because it is very likely that someone is
entering
from another country and thus most likely also from a
risk
area.
But Munich, Passau, Hamburg and other license plates are also subjected to random checks.
Shortly after Christmas in particular, there is great fear that those
returning to travel will
cause
the number of
infections
to rise sharply, as in summer.
The Vankovics family is also returning to Germany from a risk area.
Without a current
corona test
, everyone is reported by the officials to the responsible
district administrative
authority
.
The person then has to submit a test within 72 hours.
Until then, however, it means - with or without a test:
quarantine
.
"Depending on the result, between five and ten days minimum," says Chief Police Commissioner Michael Haslböck.
Corona in Bavaria: After Christmas with relatives: Family from Hungary prepared for quarantine
The family who just arrived from Hungary did everything right and thought about it.
So the procedure only takes a short time.
“Ten minutes ago we were at a
test center
near
Passau
.
I booked the appointment online the evening before, ”says Vankovics.
He shows evidence on his cell phone.
The officials are still checking the personal details.
There is also a bus at the control point.
“Our mobile office,” says Haslböck with a laugh.
In the
police bus there
is a desk, two-way radios and a computer
which spits out everything about the person
after entering the
personal
details.
“This way we can see immediately whether the driver's license is valid or see the criminal record,” he explains.
"I think it is important and right that everything is precisely controlled"
While everything is checked, David Vankovics sits calmly in his car.
“I think it's important and right that everything is precisely controlled,” he says.
“You have to take the situation seriously.
And I'm glad that it was even possible
to visit
my family near Budapest over the
holidays
, ”he says.
The
father of
the family has already prepared for
the
quarantine
, which the family has to go to immediately after arriving at home.
“We were
still shopping
in
Hungary
so that we could have everything at home.” So he had no problem not leaving the house for a few days.
Because the home visit is "always worth it" to him.
A3 near Passau: Corona veil investigators check whether there are more than two household items in the car
Control at the Vankovics family is the norm.
"So far, we have found very
few violations here
," reports policeman Schraml.
Of course, it happens that someone runs into the network without a current test.
"But as long as he then does a test within the set deadline and reports to the authorities, everything is fine."
We just check and then pass it on.
In addition, the veil investigators check whether there are more than two household items in a private car, whether the
mask and distance
rules are observed
in coaches
, and of course after 9 p.m. they also check whether there is a valid reason to be on the road.
In this regard, too, there is an astonishing answer: "We hardly have any violations to complain about," all seven officials on site agree.
Since Corona: New tasks for veil investigators - border offenses are on the decline
All statements that one
rarely hears
from a
Schleierfahnder
team.
Usually, the border guards jet down the highways with 200 items and are often faced with serious criminal incidents.
“Most of the time, we deal with motor vehicle and drug offenses,” says Schraml.
He himself is no longer on the patrol, but as head of the veil investigator team everything ends up on his desk before it comes to the public prosecutor's office.
Since
Corona
and the border
closings, the investigators have been
more calm
despite
new tasks
.
"We would check everything at any time if something seemed to be wrong during a corona check," says Schraml.
But border crimes have decreased in the past few days.
"The risk of getting caught has been significantly higher since the lockdown."
Veil investigators report: Drugs are also an issue during Corona
Corona or lockdown: Drivers who are under the influence of
narcotics at the wheel
are
still frequent attacks
, explains Schraml.
A trained eye is the be-
all and end-all. “
Professional experience
raises awareness enormously.” It rarely happens that someone who gives the police officer an uncomfortable gut feeling ends up wearing a white vest.
The
criminals' wealth of ideas
is as curious as it is endless: "We have already discovered hiding places in the tank or in a washing machine carried in the vehicle," says Schraml.
In addition, the car is completely dismantled in an emergency.
There is a special hall at the office.
Despite Corona: the wealth of ideas of criminals is curious and endless
“When a vehicle lands here, we usually find something.” Cavities are popular hiding places for cocaine, marijuana and the like. But there is also an even more creative way: “We once found drugs in a welded
Nutella glass
in the chocolate cream,” he says smiling.
In contrast, aren't the
corona checks
boring?
“Of course it's less spectacular,” says the head of the veil investigators.
"But essential to contain the pandemic."
Despite the corona lockdown, tourists have been flocking to the mountains lately.
A virologist * now emphasizes: If you keep your distance, the risk of infection on such trips is low.
* Merkur.de is part of the Ippen network.