Illegal migration and people-trafficking from eastern Europe into Germany has risen sharply since the removal of Schengen border controls last month, with many would-be migrants originating from Chechnya.

About 420 people have been caught in Germany’s border zone with Poland and the Czech Republic in the three weeks since passport controls were removed on December 21, a German interior ministry spokesman said. He added that this was an increase on previous periods, without elaborating.