Drug gangs threaten Germany: Interpol boss sounds the alarm!

Drug gangs threaten Germany: Interpol boss sounds the alarm!

In a worrying warning, Jürgen Stock, the outgoing Secretary General of Interpol, has addressed the growing threat from global drug gangs. During an interview with the German Press Agency in New York, he said: “The world is in danger of losing the fight against transnational organized crime.” According to him, these gangs have the potential to destabilize industrialized countries like Germany.

Stock, who will leave his position in November, describes the transformation of traditional mafia structures into global criminal organizations. He reported that previously local groups are now involved in the international drug trade and have “astronomical amounts of resources.” They use these resources not only for human and arms trafficking, but also for the increasingly problematic drug trade in Central Europe.

Role of drug trafficking in Germany

Drug trafficking, especially cocaine trafficking, is becoming a major challenge for Germany and Europe. According to Stock, the main income of these gangs remains from drugs available on the markets. This is particularly evident in the continued availability of drugs, including record high drug seizures in European ports such as Antwerp, Rotterdam and Hamburg. It is estimated that only a fraction of drugs imported into the country are actually detected, indicating well-organized supply chains.

A worrying innovation in the drug trade is the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which is increasingly penetrating European markets. While fentanyl has already caused a massive crisis in the United States, Stock warns that the drug could also become a serious problem in Europe. Due to its extremely high potency and the fact that just two milligrams is considered a lethal dose, the danger posed by fentanyl should not be underestimated.

The Paths of Cocaine

Most cocaine is still produced by South American cartels in countries such as Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Stock explains that the drugs enter European markets via various routes. A frequently used transport route runs through the port of Guayaquil in Ecuador, from where the drugs are shipped across the Pacific. There, Stock illustrates the flexibility and complexity of the market.

A central problem in drug deliveries is corruption and local power structures in the port authorities, which allow the gangs to conduct their business undisturbed. Stock emphasizes that the authorities face enormous challenges as corruption is deeply rooted in many places.

The impact of drug trafficking is visible not only at its source, but also in European cities, where local gangs organizing “street sales” are causing a rise in violent clashes. These conflicts over territory have already led to significant social tensions in other European countries.

Stock calculates that the violent clashes are now also noticeable in parts of Germany. The Interpol warning highlights that progress in the fight against this crime also requires a greater focus on national law enforcement authorities. In order to combat drug gangs effectively, the largest groups should be increasingly targeted.

The need for international cooperation in the fight against drug-related crime is becoming clearer than ever. Given the challenges ahead, it is crucial that countries come together to stop drug gangs. Further background information on these topics can be found in a comprehensive report on www.kreiszeitung.de.