The Hague, 4 December 2024
With support from Eurojust, the German and Serbian authorities have taken down a drug trafficking network operating from the Rhine-Main area of Germany. Today, in a coordinated action, ten suspects were arrested and around thirty places searched in connection to the smuggling and distribution of tens of kilos of mainly cocaine throughout different European countries. Eurojust supported the German and Serbian authorities with setting up and financing a joint investigation team (JIT) into the organised crime group (OCG).
The OCG had allegedly been importing illicit drugs from the Netherlands to the Rhine-Main area since 2022, using several locations such as cafés as front stores for its illegal activities. The drugs were transported to these locations in cars with hidden compartments for further distribution by couriers to Serbia, but also other EU Member States and third countries.
Among the arrested suspects are the alleged ringleaders, couriers and street dealers. The Serbian part of the network operated from a café in Sremska Mitrovica. Investigations into the OCG are ongoing and no adequate estimate of the proceeds cannot be given at this stage.
Investigations into the OCG were initiated in Serbia also in 2022, showing links between the two countries involved in today’s operation. Eurojust assisted with the financing and setting up of the JIT in August this year and organised four coordination meetings to prepare for the joint actions in Germany and Serbia.
Furthermore, the Agency supported the execution of requests for Mutual Legal Assistance between Serbia and Germany. Serbia is one of the 12 countries outside the EU that have a Liaison Prosecutor based at Eurojust in The Hague*. During the action day, close to 400 police officers were deployed in Germany and Serbia.
Furthermore, six kilos of cocaine, several vehicles, weapons, ammunition and luxury watches were seized, as well as at least EUR 60 000 in cash, a device to detect intercepted communications and various mobile phones and laptops.
The actions of this week were carried out at the request of and by the following authorities:
- Germany: Public Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) (Staatsanwaltschaft) Wiesbaden; Regional Criminal Police of Hesse (Landeskriminalamt Hessen), Wiesbaden
- Serbia: PPO for Organised Crime; Ministry of Interior Affairs, Service for Combating Organised Crime
*The other countries outside the EU with Liaison Prosecutors at Eurojust are: Albania, Georgia, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States
Source – Eurojust