They attacked each other with machetes, knives and wooden slats: in the notorious Asian wholesale market “Dong Xuan Center” in east Berlin, three men were critically injured in an altercation. The 35, 36 and 37 year olds had to undergo emergency surgery, the police announced on Saturday. After that, their lives were out of danger. Another man (36) suffered “numerous cuts” and also had to be treated in a hospital. Initially, the police spoke of a total of five people injured. The police identified a 36-year-old as a suspect. The criminal police are looking for other perpetrators.
According to the information, a group of several people approached another group on the premises of the Vietnamese wholesale market. The two groups got into an argument and attacked each other. After the confrontation, several people fled. The police had no information about the reason for the dispute, as a police spokesman said at midday.
The national head of the police union, Stephan Weh, commented on the incident: “Everyone should now know that the Dong Xuan Center often plays a role for internationally active smuggling gangs and human traffickers and is considered a central drug hotspot for the Vietnamese community be.”
Last year, a 28-year-old man was stabbed and seriously injured there. According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, Berlin is already considered a “hub” for Vietnamese human traffickers in Western Europe – with the Dong Xuan Center being of central importance.
According to information, people who are smuggled there are supposed to pay off the supposed costs of their smuggling – these are often several thousand euros. They work illegally in nail and massage salons, in restaurants in the meat or slaughter industry, as well as in the textile and cleaning industries. There is also suspicion of forced prostitution. The police have already carried out raids there in the past.
The Dong Xuan Cente with around 350 shops consists of several large halls with dozens of shops each, which are mainly run and visited by Vietnamese. In addition to services, clothing, toys and electronic items are sold there.
