The focus of the raids was on cities and towns in northern and western Germany but also in Bavaria in the south, German news agency dpa reported.

Police executed five arrest warrants, three in the northern town of Stade and two in the western town of Gladbeck. Inside the searched apartments and other buildings, police discovered many migrants without residence permits, dpa reported.

The raids were ordered by federal police at Frankfurt airport on suspicion of gang and commercial smuggling of foreigners, German news agency dpa reported.