Drug alarm in Kötschach-Mauthen: House search with cobra insert!

Drug alarm in Kötschach-Mauthen: House search with cobra insert!

In the early morning hours of April 17, 2025, there was an extensive police operation in Kötschach-Mauthen, in which accommodation by a young man was searched. According to gailtal-journal.at there are investigations in connection with the suspicion of drug trafficking, which extended over a longer period of time.

The assignment was extensively planned and included the use of a specially trained display dog that struck in the accommodation. During the search, officials were able to secure small amounts of different addictive substances, including cannabis, heroin and fentanyl. Twelve civil servants were involved in the campaign, while the suspect was temporarily arrested and confessed during the questioning.

Investigations and legal framework conditions

At the order of the public prosecutor, the young man was quickly released. The ongoing investigations aim to identify other possible customers and to clarify the extent of drug trafficking. This type of drug crime is not only local, but also has international dimensions such as the statistics of the Federal Criminal Police (bka)

The fight against drug crime is high on the BKA agenda, which acts as a central investigation and support center. In 2022, 346,877 drug offenses were registered in Germany, which corresponds to an increase of 1.8 % compared to the previous year. The clarification rate is 90.8 %, which indicates the proactive work of the law enforcement authorities.

Current trends in drug trafficking

The increasing availability of drugs, especially cannabis, can also be seen in the figures for 2023. Here, 207,563 drug offenses were recorded in connection with cannabis. According to the BKA, security authorities have ensured 20.9 tons of marijuana, while the cocaine trade has risen by 27.4 % to a new high. Around 43 tons of cocaine were ensured, which mainly came to Europe from Ecuador and Brazil.

The consolidations are diverse and also include synthetic drugs, in which almost 2,000 kg of amphetamine and over 1.1 million ecstasy tablets were confiscated in 2023. This shows the challenge that drug trafficking represents both for internal security in Germany and for the entire EU.

Drug crime also has health consequences. In 2023 there were 2,227 drug -related deaths, which corresponds to an increase of 11.9 % compared to the previous year. This worrying trend illustrates the urgency of the measures that must be taken against illegal drug trafficking. The use in Kötschach-Mauthen is part of these comprehensive efforts to contain drug trafficking and ensure the security of the community.

In this context, the use in Kötschach-Mauthen illustrates the growing challenge for the investigative authorities who have to react to the changing drug landscape with sustainable strategic approaches to protect the safety of their citizens.