Massive cocaine seizure: 400 kilograms confiscated at Hamburg port
German customs authorities seized more than 400 kilograms of cocaine at the port of Hamburg on Saturday, in one of the largest drug enforcement operations in the country this year. The discovery came after dock workers noticed two men acting suspiciously and reported to the authorities.
According to the police, the incident occurred around noon at the O'Swaldkai container terminal. Workers saw the two men boarding a ship and then disembarking with more than 20 sports bags. Since neither of them was known to be an employee at the port, customs officers were immediately notified.
When the officers intercepted the suspects' vehicle, one of them tried to escape while the other was immediately apprehended. The police launched a large-scale search operation, which included closing parts of the port and using a helicopter. Later in the afternoon, the second suspect was arrested.
More than 20 sports bags filled with cocaine were found inside the car. A spokesperson confirmed that the bags contained about 400 kilograms of the drug, estimated to be worth several million euros.
The Port of Hamburg has long been known as a major entry point for cocaine smuggling operations into Europe. As the largest seaport in Germany and the third largest port in Europe after Rotterdam and Antwerp, it handles more than 23,000 containers daily. Earlier this year, Holger Münch, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), warned of a "cocaine wave" hitting Germany, with gangs focusing on European markets after the North American market became saturated.