Ten men are accused of smuggling drugs into Germany on a large scale. You now have to answer in court.
Berlin/Hamburg – A suspected gang has been in court in Berlin since Wednesday because of large-scale cocaine smuggling.
The ten men, aged between 33 and 63, are said to have smuggled the drugs from South America to Germany via the port of Hamburg and conducted their illegal business through a network of shell companies. According to the indictment, the drugs were hidden in hollow, specially made metal plates. About four tons of cocaine are said to have arrived in Germany. According to investigations, three alleged main perpetrators, who are said to have acted as a gang since 2011, received around 9.3 million euros.
The actions are said to have been planned and coordinated in Berlin and the surrounding area. According to investigators, the suspects used the Canadian crypto messenger service Sky ECC to communicate. It is the first trial in Berlin in which this encrypted communication system plays a role. More than 30 days of hearings are planned until the end of January 2023 for the trial of gang trafficking in narcotics or aiding and abetting it.
The Berlin public prosecutor’s office and the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) took action against the alleged gang at the end of November 2021 with searches in Germany and abroad. 14 arrest warrants were executed. Overall, the investigators spoke at the time of a total of 28 suspects aged 22 to 62 years. dpa
