The Bundespolizei carried out a large-scale search and control operation across northern Germany on 22 April 2026, focusing on train routes, major stations, airports and sections of the Dutch land border. Dubbed a ‘Fahndungstag’ (man-hunt day), the coordinated sweep involved uniformed and plain-clothes officers from Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein and ran from 08:00 to 22:00. While the exercise was framed publicly as a crime-prevention measure—aimed at deterring violent and sexual offences—insiders say it also tested new mobile-biometrics kits designed to interface with the EU Entry/Exit System’s overstay alerts. Officers were seen using handheld scanners to verify fingerprints of third-country nationals boarding long-distance ICE services to Frankfurt and Cologne. The Bundespolizei will release full statistics later today, but early tallies mention several outstanding arrest warrants executed and multiple immigration-law violations recorded, including passengers travelling without valid residence permits. No major delays were reported, yet rail operators advised travellers to carry passports or German ID cards to avoid secondary screening. For employers moving staff by rail or regional air, the operation is a reminder that Schengen internal-border spot checks are now routine, particularly since Poland and Czechia re-introduced controls last year. Global-mobility teams should ensure that assignees keep originals of residence documents when travelling domestically and allow extra time for ID checks en route to airports.
Source: DIE ZEIT/dpa
