Hamburg police raid uncovers illegal gambling and drug bust in St. Georg
Hamburg (ots)
Time of incident: March 26, 2026, 11:00 PM Location: Hamburg-St. Georg, Steindamm
Late on Thursday evening, officers from Hamburg Police, working alongside customs authorities and the Hamburg-Mitte district office, conducted an inspection of premises in a building in the St. Georg neighborhood. During the operation, several individuals present were checked, and authorities seized a substantial quantity of marijuana as well as several thousand euros in cash.
Plainclothes officers from Police Station 11 examined the rooms in a building near Stralsunder Straße after residents reported suspicions of illegal gambling and the presence of multiple people inside.
With district office staff in attendance, police entered the premises and encountered 15 individuals. They also observed a poker table in use by several men.
On suspicion of unauthorized gambling, a judge subsequently authorized a search of the premises. Additional officers from Police Station 11, two police dog handlers with their service dogs, Alaska and Charly, and customs officials joined the operation, conducting a thorough search.
The roughly 30 officers involved seized over 100 grams of marijuana and more than €8,000 in cash. Multiple criminal investigations were launched, including for suspected violations of cannabis laws, illegal gambling operations, and money laundering.
Four men—two Albanian nationals and two Turkish nationals, aged 25 to 38—were suspected of residing in the country illegally. After police procedures were completed, all individuals checked were released.
The Hamburg-Mitte district office prohibited further use of the premises and sealed the location.
The criminal investigations initiated will now be continued by the relevant state criminal police offices.
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