A G4S guard has been accused of smuggling refugees through security checks and on to flights to the United States and Britain.
Austrian prosecutors said the employee was one of 13 private security staff working at Vienna airport who were being investigated over suspicions they used their security access to allow refugees to board flights.
G4S, which claims to be the world’s biggest security company and runs security at several UK airports, said one of those arrested had been an employee and he had been sacked in line with Austrian law.
Graham Levinsohn, G4S regional CEO for Europe, said: “I can confirm that in compliance with Austrian labour law, an employee responsible for checking visa documentation at Vienna airport on a contract with Austrian Airlines was dismissed in March following his arrest. A trial is ongoing and we are unable to comment further.”
It is understood that the G4S employee accused in this case was employed by one of the airlines to check the size of passengers’ bags and their visas. G4S said it did not employ any of the others accused of involvement.
A spokesman for Austrian prosecutors said the authorities knew of 10 “trafficking trips” between last autumn and February. He declined to name any companies involved and said it was not yet clear how many people had been smuggled through security checks. The traffickers collected between €7,000 to €9,000 (£5,000-6,500) per person, he added.
According to the Austrian authorities, the trafficking scheme came to light after the suspects tried to recruit a new accomplice, who then contacted the police.
One person who allegedly paid the suspects was subsequently refused entry into the US. The Austrian spokesman said one man from Poland and another from Sri Lanka had been placed in custody pending an investigation.
