German border sees 6,921 unauthorized entries in September

Germany's federal police reported 6,921 unauthorized entries at its borders in September, a slight decrease from previous months as the government intensifies border controls to manage illegal crossings, reported dpa.

Since March, the number of unauthorized crossings has consistently ranged between 7,000 and 7,800, with lower figures reported in January (6,906) and February (5,998).

As part of efforts to curb unauthorized entries, border controls have been intensified at German borders since September 16. However, it remains uncertain whether this decline is linked to the expansion of border controls.

Police reported that 64,292 people crossed the border illegally in the first three quarters of the year, mostly refugees. This is a significant drop from last year's total of 92,128 unauthorized entries during the same period.

Those apprehended for unauthorized entry are either sent back to their country or, if they express a desire to seek asylum, are taken to a reception centre for processing.

Controls now extend to land borders with Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland have been monitored for some time, while checks at the border with France were previously heightened in connection with the Olympic Games.

The measures are currently set to remain in place for an initial period of six months.