Hans-Peter Doskozil, director of police in the eastern Austrian state of Burgenland, said that those arrested include the suspected owner of the vehicle and two who were believed to be operating the truck. They were said to include two Bulgarians and a person who had Hungarian papers but an unknown nationality, according to Hungarian online daily origo.hu. The police director said he believes that the suspects are part of an organized crime operation.
A total of 71 dead bodies were found in the truck with Hungarian license plates discovered on Austria’s A4 highway, including 59 men, eight women and four children, Doskozil said in a press conference this morning.
Austrian officials said they believe that the truck set off from Budapest early Wednesday, and had been stationary for 24 hours in the area of Parndorf, Austria, when it was discovered.
The suspects were reportedly being held in Hungary, though their exact location is not known. The Austrian interior minister praised the cooperation provided by Hungarian authorities in the case.
Although the Austrian police said they do not know for certain the origin of the dead found in the truck, they added that they found Syrian papers in the truck, and it is believed that they are mostly of Syrian origin.
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