North Zealand and Copenhagen police have carried out a major operation at the Center Sandholm asylum centre, searching rooms and arresting 38 people, including many who had no right to be there.

“We have recently been getting information that people attached to Center Sandholm have been involved in narcotics crimes. Our own investigations have strengthened our suspicions,” North Zealand Police Director Finn Borch Andersen sys in a news release.

Over 100 officers took part in the search, which began at 5 a.m. this morning, according to Jyllands-Posten. BT reports North Zealand Chief Inspector Flemming Drejer as saying that a large number of officers were necessary.

“It is a place where there are many people and many rooms, so we needed a lot of officers. It may seem a bit of a heavy presence but we have to have enough people there,” Drejer tells BT.

Drejer adds that officers found people at the centre who were not supposed to be there and would be charged with illegal entry.

Ritzau says that 20 of those who were arrested on Thursday morning were held for being at the centre illegally.

It is not immediately clear why the remaining 18 were detained, although Ritzau reports that three people were to be charged under drug laws.

Drejer tells Ritzau that only small amounts of narcotics were found – “only some grammes”.

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