Paedophiles, traffickers and opportunistic criminals arrive to prey on the misery of refugees
The Australian newspaper Crikey visited Helpers.no at Tesco as part of their in depth articles about trafficking.
This is a snippet from one of the 3 articles written by Amber Schultz from the Australian newspaper Crikey. She visited Ukrainian border in several countries.
Background checks identify child sex offenders seeking entry
Crisis coordinator from Helpers Paul Smines was called in to manage the largest refugee hub in Poland — a converted Tesco supermarket in Przemyśl just 10 kilometres from the border — a week into the crisis. A seasoned crisis expert from Norway, Smines said the place was an absolute shambles.
“It wasn’t safe,” he tells Crikey.
There was no internet and no computers when he arrived. Anyone could enter the building, offering help or private rides. Smines banned this upon his arrival, later partnering with software company Monday.com to conduct background checks on volunteers through Europol. There are just two transit hubs using this system in Poland to conduct criminal background checks on those entering.
The results of those being vetted were alarming, volunteer Rafal Krawczyk told Crikey. He asked for his affiliate organisation not to be named as he didn’t have permission to speak on its behalf.
“Around 8% of those who tried to enter the hub were refused,” he said — adding, however, that he didn’t always know the reasons why.
He did say that at least two child sex offenders, and around a dozen people with criminal histories, attempted to access the hub across March. His claims have been verified by three Red Cross volunteers, including Smines, who also worked at the centre.
“Police told us there were known human traders [working outside],” Krawczyk said. “Some women and children became lost, and nobody knew where they were.”
A spokesperson from the local police force told Crikey they weren’t aware of any people with criminal histories attempting to access the centre — meaning those turned away likely faced zero repercussions.
No computers, no internet and open access to the vulnerable
Before internet connectivity was established, Smines attempted to implement identification for volunteers, giving those who had been interviewed a blue ribbon that gained them entry to the building. Many, he said, refused to help with basic tasks and instead only wanted to speak to young women — a huge red flag.
“Sometimes I would remove people’s blue ribbons and send them away, then find the next day they’re back inside,” he said, adding others resorted to approaching refugees outside the centre. He estimates he turned away 20 drivers he deemed to be suspicious from outside the Tesco supermarket.
“They would show them pictures of beautiful houses in Germany or France and said they can drive them so they shouldn’t register inside Tesco,” he said.
But it wasn’t just what was outside the centre that was dangerous: Smines said the abandoned supermarket was not fit for purpose, with Red Cross volunteers begging for materials, including handwash and sanitation supplies — a key concern as COVID-19 and gastro spread.
“People had to go out to buy fire extinguishers … there was no ventilation … it wasn’t an appropriate place and shouldn’t be a transit centre,” he said.
“One little kid was standing over the potty and when he got up, some urine spilled on the floor. It started smoking from the electricity — it’s lucky he wasn’t sitting on the toilet because he could have died from the shock.”
Both Smines and Krawczyk said they didn’t believe the Polish government was doing enough to tackle traffickers and have yet to accept an offer to implement the background-checking software at refugee hubs across the country. NGOs and city councillors have also accused the government of taking credit for volunteer responses instead of providing adequate funding and structures to help local regions cope.
“Volunteers have flocked from all over the world to offer “help”, often with no affiliate organisation or plan of attack. Often, the border crossings feel a bit like a music festival, with volunteers sinking beers to celebrate their successes at night (granted, once the border crossing has closed and there’s no more help to offer). Many sleep in tents and offices or in overcrowded hotel rooms”
