Police Caught Human Traffickers Flying on Rogallo, Arrest Turns Violent

Police Caught Human Traffickers Flying on Rogallo, Arrest Turns Violent

Hran, August 24 (TASR) – Human traffickers have no qualms about trying various unorthodox ways to illegally smuggle foreigners from Ukraine to Slovakia, with one of the more original ones being the “aerial route” on a Rogallo wing, TASR learnt on Friday.

Police discovered an unauthorised crossing of the external Schengen border by a two-seater engine-powered Rogallo [a flexible type of airfoil – ed.note] above Matovske Vojkovce (Kosice region). “In pursuit of its flight route, officers from the Border and Foreigner Police Directorate’s mobile task force were led by the Rogallo to a meadow in the village of Hran,” said Police Corps Presidium spokesperson Denisa Baloghova.

A car was parked at the meadow with two individuals inside. They turned on the car lights to enable a safe landing for the Rogallo. Once the Rogallo touched down, however, police intervened.

“Four men broke into a run. Once they realised escaping wouldn’t be possible, they mounted active resistance, forcing police officers to use force in the form of self-defence grasps, holds, punches and kicks as well as tools to surmount resistance and fend off assaults,” claimed Baloghova.

Two individuals now face charges of human trafficking and unauthorised crossing of the state border, namely Ukrainian nationals identified only as Ihor, the Rogallo’s pilot, and Vasyl, who assisted Ihor with the landing. “A third man, Mohamed W. of Afghanistan, who was illegally smuggled to Slovak soil, has been returned to Ukraine under the re-admission agreement. A fourth man, a Slovak national, is currently facing legal procedures. Ihor put up greatest resistance during the arrest. Police officers had to pacify him and, to be on the safe side, summoned an ambulance for him. He’s currently in a hospital,” added the spokesperson.

If found guilty, the defendants might face 3-8 years in jail.