German authorities have seized a record-breaking 35.5 tonnes of cocaine, representing the country’s largest ever cocaine bust. Police and prosecutors announced the seizure on Monday, revealing that the drugs, with a street value of around 2.6 billion euros ($2.8 billion), were discovered in nine shipping containers hidden amongst crates of fruit and other legal goods. The discovery spans a period between April and September of last year.
The authorities revealed that the drugs were found in three separate locations: 24.5 tonnes in Hamburg, eight tonnes in the Dutch port of Rotterdam, and three tonnes in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The investigation, codenamed “OP Plexus”, was initiated following a tip-off from Colombian authorities and involved collaboration with Europol.
The investigation identified eight primary suspects: two German nationals, two Turkish citizens, and individuals from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Morocco, and Ukraine. Seven of these suspects were apprehended during raids across Germany in late May and early June of this year. These individuals, along with unidentified accomplices believed to be based in Turkey, are accused of establishing numerous fake companies to facilitate the smuggling of cocaine from South America.
During the raids, police seized a substantial amount of evidence including several mobile phones, laptops, gold bars, 23,300 euros in cash, and a Porsche car valued at approximately 250,000 euros. Tino Ingelmann, head of customs investigation authorities in Duesseldorf, highlighted the growing trend of cocaine seizures in Germany, stating that a total of around 43 tonnes were intercepted in 2023.
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner commended the efforts of the authorities, emphasizing the government’s commitment to combating crime and safeguarding national security. “Every criminal must know that we will defend the security of our citizens and our businesses. We will defend it resolutely and vigorously,” he declared.
