Rheinfelden border crossing closed for hours after explosives alert
Explosives-detection dogs alerted on a German vehicle – the border remained sealed for hours. No dangerous substances found, two men provisionally arrested.
Explosives alert paralyses Rheinfelden border crossing
The Rheinfelden-Autobahn border crossing between Germany and Switzerland was sealed for hours on Tuesday. According to zeit.de, explosives-detection dogs alerted on a vehicle with German number plates as it entered – triggering a multi-hour operation by specialised units of the Bundespolizei federal police.
The two occupants of the vehicle were provisionally arrested. Whether they were released on the evening remained unclear at first. Media reports suggested that the men were father and son and that both were listed on wanted notices; however, the police did not confirm this.
A designated hazard zone was evacuated and the A861 motorway completely closed. It connects the German A98 with the Swiss A3 – one of the region's most heavily used border routes, with approximately 30,000 vehicles using the Rheinfelden bridge daily. The ADAC reported kilometre-long traffic jams on both sides of the border. Police diverted traffic at the Rheinfelden-Mitte exit.
In the evening, a police spokesman gave the all-clear: "No dangerous substances were found. The motorway was able to be reopened." The crossing was subsequently opened again to traffic.
Source: Google News CH — Crime (de)