German officers said "don't tell the Serbian Police we came (...) you give us money and we protect you when the Serbian police comes"

The respondent, a man aged between 18 and 40, reported an incident that occurred around 12 PM on May 5, 2023, at an informal living site near the Serbian town of Srpski Krstur. The event involved a group of 10 individuals, including children, who were part of a transit group comprising people from Syria, Morocco, and Somalia.

The respondent described several officers whom he identified as belonging to the German Police - operating under FRONTEX - who arrived alone (without Serbian authorities) at the informal living site where he stayed, near the Serbian town of Srpski Krstur. 

He described that the officers arrived around noon and asked 200€ from all 10 people on the move who were at the site. He explained that there were children present at the site, as well.  They reportedly said, "Don't tell the Serbian Police we came (...) you give us money and we protect you when the Serbian police comes". Though there was no physical violence, the respondent reported that verbal intimidation was used to get the money. According to other people on the move staying at the site, this incident was not an isolated one. A different respondent reported that a German officer had come to the settlement around noon two weeks before and also taken money from everyone present. He described that German officers drive past the living site every day around noon, but don't necessarily stop every time.