Organized drug crime strike with four arrests

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Essen / Duisburg / Kamp-Lintfort / Krefeld / Moers / Wuppertal / Kitzingen district / Netherlands. After almost two years of extensive investigations, the Essen customs investigation office was able to successfully execute four arrest warrants and nine search warrants on behalf of the Essen public prosecutor in the night of November 3rd. Another five searches took place on November 4th. A total of over 26,000 illegal drugs, around 56,000 euros, cryptocurrency worth 6,400 euros, 1,000 gold and 80 silver coins, five luxury watches and handbags each and a high-quality vehicle were confiscated.

The 8-person German-Polish-Albanian group of perpetrators is suspected of selling illegal drugs, in particular prescription potency drugs, commercially on a large number of websites on the Internet. None of them were licensed as pharmacists. The drugs, presumably from Asia and mainly smuggled in via Hungary, were stored in Germany, packaged and sent by post to customers in Germany, but also to Austria and Switzerland. The group proceeded in a division of labor and conspiratorial approach. In different German cities, she used different warehouse keepers and several so-called “runners” who brought the illegal items to the post office. In particular, the main suspects, four men aged 32, 33, 34 and 49, used various straw men and numerous bank accounts at home and abroad to cover up their activities.

One of the main suspects was arrested by the Dutch authorities on November 3rd, 2021 on the basis of a European arrest warrant. Various electronic evidence, gold coins and luxury goods were seized from the 32-year-old German.

In the case of another main suspect, the cash tracking dog “Luke” from the main customs office in Düsseldorf was able to sniff out a hiding place with 30,000 euros in cash. A total of 44,300 euros in cash and illegal drugs were found in this suspect, and a luxury vehicle was secured.

During the searches, more than 26,000 illegal sexual enhancers, extensive electronic evidence, a labeling machine and small amounts of narcotics were found.

Around 56,000 euros in cash as well as eight luxury watches and handbags, 1,080 precious metal coins, a high-quality motor vehicle and cryptocurrency could be enforced in the context of the present arrests.

The income from trading their various “online pharmacies” should amount to over 3.5 million euros. The sales tax damage amounts to around 560,000 euros.

In total, more than 150 workers at home and abroad were involved in the large-scale operation. The forces of the customs investigation office in Essen were supported by special forces of the customs criminal investigation office, the main customs offices in Dortmund, Düsseldorf and Münster, the customs investigation office in Munich, the Essen police and the technical relief agencies in Krefeld, Moers and Wuppertal.

The investigation and evaluation of the evidence on behalf of the Essen public prosecutor is ongoing.

“The division of labor organization and working methods as well as the international interdependence of organized drug crime present prosecutors and customs investigators with criminal challenges. Only a close national and international cooperation of all authorities can be successful if one wants to counter the criminal gangs and their unscrupulous treatment of health ”, so the press spokeswoman of the public prosecutor’s office in Essen, senior public prosecutor Anette Milk.

“The supposedly low price, the simple“ prescription-free ”ordering on the Internet, informal payment via the online service and the“ free home delivery ”entice many consumers to order these drugs on the Internet. In fact, they risk their health, because nobody knows about the ingredients and the dosage! In addition, the buyers unconsciously support organized crime, ”said Heike Sennewald, the press spokeswoman for the Essen customs investigation office. (ots)

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