Hamburg is becoming the center of cocaine smuggling in Europe

In Germany, cocaine problems are increasing. Between 2018 and 2023, cocaine confiscations increased by as much as 750 percent. Cocaine to Europe, through German ports, comes mainly from South America, hidden in consignments of ordinary goods, the Guardian reports.

The biggest challenge is the Hamburg port, where police occupied the largest amount of cocaine in Europe so far in 2021. It was 16 tons of pure cocaine, which was smuggled from Paraguay in Hamburg. Increased cocaine inflow, however, is not only a problem due to the increase in addiction in the country, but also due to the deepening of corruption.

The price of a kilogram of cocaine, which costs around 2000 euros in Colombia, in Europe rising to around 40,000 euros, and the profits generated by smugglers, not only luxury, but also bribes. Some port employees, in exchange for money, help international mafia groups in overlapping information and the logistics of illicit drugs. In April, two Hamburg port workers were closed because they helped transport 480 kilograms of cocaine and allowed an attack on a colleague trying to prevent surgery, the Guardian reported.

But it’s not just port workers. Corruption problems are also present within justice and police. Even the Attorney General in one of the largest cases of smuggling is accused of working with the mafia. In exchange for a monthly bribe of $ 5,000, criminals are expected to issue confidential information and warn it from arrest.

Guardian Today, it reports that cocaine profits are already very noticeable on the streets of Hamburg. « Every weekend you see more and more young men in Ferrari, Lamborghini and SUV for 150,000 euros, » said one of their interlocutors. “This is not money earned by prostitution or deceit or cannabis. This is cocaine money. « 

In various German states, several cases of corruption within the police have been discovered over the last year, in which individuals suspected cooperation with mafia from Italy, Morocco, the Netherlands and beyond. These were examples of receiving bribes, providing classified information and even helping in smuggling.

Criminologist and author of the book Mafia Expansion Zora Hauser He points out that Germany is difficult to deal with the reality of organized crime and turns a blind eye to the increasingly pressing problem. According to Hauser’s political ignorance, the fragmentation of police units, poor anti -money laundering legislation and too much protection of personal data, the causes of the problem are, according to Hauser’s political ignorance. All this makes it easier for mafia companies, which is why Germany is becoming more attractive to mafia gangs.