Berlin, Germany – Authorities in Germany have made the largest cocaine bust in the country’s history, seizing drugs worth 2.6 billion euros ($2.78 billion) from multiple container ships and arresting seven individuals in connection with the case.
The massive operation unfolded in the western city of Duesseldorf, where 35.5 metric tons (39 U.S. tons) of cocaine were confiscated following a tip from Colombian authorities. Additional quantities of the drug were also discovered in the ports of Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Colombia, concealed among shipments of fruits and vegetables.
Despite the scale of the drug seizures, these developments had not been previously disclosed to the public. Law enforcement officials have since apprehended seven suspects, ranging in age from 30 to 54 and hailing from various countries including Germany, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Morocco, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Investigators revealed that a businessman from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, had established numerous shell companies to give the appearance of legality to the drug transports. The suspects stand accused of coordinating the trafficking of significant quantities of cocaine from Latin America to Europe using front companies as intermediaries.
State justice minister Benjamin Limbach commended the authorities’ efforts, describing the operation as a significant blow to international organized crime. He emphasized the impact of disrupting drug lords’ activities and expressed confidence in the ongoing investigations to dismantle criminal networks involved in drug trafficking.