German police dismantle major cocaine trafficking ring in North Rhine-Westphalia
A major drug trafficking operation in North Rhine-Westphalia has been dismantled after a lengthy investigation. Police and customs officers targeted an organised criminal group supplying drugs across the Ahaus and Gronau regions. The crackdown led to multiple arrests and the seizure of large quantities of narcotics.
The investigation began in November 2024 when the Joint Drug Investigation Task Force (GER) in Münster launched an operation against suspected traffickers. Initially, authorities focused on suppliers from the Nottuln area but soon traced the drug flow back to Ahaus. Over time, they uncovered a network distributing cannabis, amphetamines, and cocaine.
On February 19, 2026, over 170 officers executed arrest warrants and search orders in a coordinated raid. Four main suspects—aged 28, 38, 39, and 43—were detained in Ahaus and Gronau. Key locations, including an office, a café inside a building complex, and a workshop, were identified as cocaine handover points.
During the operation, authorities seized several kilograms of cannabis, amphetamines, and cocaine, along with additional evidence. Earlier in the investigation, tens of kilograms of cannabis and cocaine had already been confiscated. An illegal cocaine cultivation site in Gronau was also shut down as part of the crackdown.
The raids mark the end of a long-running operation against a well-established cocaine trafficking ring. Four primary suspects now face charges, while the seized cocaine and evidence will support further legal action. Customs and police in Münster have once again demonstrated their ability to disrupt organised crime through joint efforts.
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