German authorities have seized 35.5 metric tonnes of cocaine, valued at €2.6 billion ($2.78 billion), the largest cocaine bust in the country’s history. The operation was led by prosecutors in Düsseldorf, involved a coordinated effort across multiple countries.
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German prosecutors from the western city of Düsseldorf announced the seizure of 35.5 metric tons of cocaine on Monday.
The cocaine was estimated to be worth 2.6 billion euros and was intercepted from several container ships. The operation followed a crucial tip-off from Colombian authorities.
The Seized Cocaine Includes:
- 25 tons at the port of Hamburg in northern Germany.
- 8 tons at the Dutch port of Rotterdam.
- Almost 3 tons in Colombia itself.
The cocaine was concealed within shipments of vegetables and fruits, illustrating the methods used by smugglers to disguise illegal cargo.
Seven suspects, aged between 30 and 54 have been arrested in connection with the smuggling operation. The group comprises nationals from Germany, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Morocco, Turkey and Ukraine.
In line with German privacy regulations, authorities have not disclosed the identities of the suspects. The arrested individuals are believed to be central to the cocaine smuggling network.
A businessman from North Rhine-Westphalia, a western German state is alleged to have orchestrated the logistics of the operation.
He established around 100 letterbox companies to give a facade of legality to the shipments. The suspects are accused of managing the transport of ten sea containers filled with large quantities of cocaine from Latin America to Europe between April and September 2023.
Authorities believe other accomplices involved in the smuggling are still at large with possible links to Turkey.
The operation was initiated following a tip-off from Colombian authorities, indicating the international scope of the investigation.
The cocaine was found in various locations, 25 tonnes in the port of Hamburg, Germany, 8 tonnes in the Dutch port of Rotterdam and nearly 3 tonnes in Colombia.
The operation is known as Operation Plexus, it was conducted over several months from April to September 2023. The drugs were concealed among legitimate shipments of vegetables and fruits to avoid detection.
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Seven individuals, aged between 30 and 54, have been arrested in connection with the operation. The suspects include nationals from Germany, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Morocco, Turkey and Ukraine.
The suspects are accused of organizing the transport of ten sea containers loaded with large quantities of cocaine from Latin America to Europe.
German prosecutors highlighted the use of over 100 letterbox companies by a businessman from North Rhine-Westphalia to create a facade of legal shipments.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s Justice Minister, Benjamin Limbach described the seizure as a blow to international organized crime, likening it to a “precise punch in the jaw that hurts the drug lords.”
The operation is seen as a major setback for drug trafficking networks operating between Latin America and Europe.
Alongside the cocaine, authorities seized various assets including five gold bars valued at around €23,000 ($25,000), a Porsche 911 Turbo worth approximately €250,000 ($272,000) and other luxury items.
Julius Sterzel, a public prosecutor addressed that the suspects hid the cocaine between crates of fruit and other legitimate goods to evade detection.
The operation’s success is attributed to effective teamwork among various law enforcement agencies both within Germany and internationally.
The authorities have not disclosed the identities of the suspects, adhering to German privacy laws. Investigations are ongoing to identify additional accomplices especially those believed to be residing in Turkey.
This seizure surpasses previous records including a bust in February 2021, when over 16 tonnes of cocaine were seized in Hamburg in what was then Germany’s largest drug haul.
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