German police conduct human trafficking raids, detain 9

BERLIN – Authorities say police in Berlin and four German states have raided 33 sites in connection with human trafficking and detained nine Vietnamese citizens.

Berlin prosecutors said Thursday the raids targeted suspects who allegedly arranged fake marriages and false acknowledgements of paternity to obtain residence rights for Vietnamese citizens in Germany. Investigators confiscated cellphones, documents and cash.

Prosecutors said the nine people detained allegedly did not have proper residency rights.

Some 300 officers were involved in the raids in Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and North Rhine-Westphalia.