Drug war in Austria: drug-related crime is exploding!

Drug war in Austria: drug-related crime is exploding!

The current situation of drug-related crime in Austria is worrying. In 2024, the police registered 37,310 reports in the area of ​​drug addiction, which represents an increase of 5.3 percent compared to the previous year. The director of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Andreas Holzer, describes the numbers as high, but not an all-time high. In particular, the increase in crime by more than 10 percent and the significant increase in cocaine by 68.4 percent to a total of 259 kilograms make it clear that the drug problem in Austria remains complex. Cannabis remains the most frequently seized drug at around 2.5 tonnes.

The drug situation is being further exacerbated by market monitoring in Europe. According to the information exxpress.at, there are particular effects of synthetic opioids, which indicates an estimate of 30,000 to 50,000 at-risk addicts in the area of ​​heroin and opioids. Despite a decline in heroin production of more than 50 percent due to lower opium production following the regime change in Afghanistan, the situation remains tense. Daniel Lichtenegger, drug coordinator at the Interior Ministry, notes that there is currently no major supplier of heroin.

Investigations and measures

The increase in advertisements is also the result of increased controls and targeted actions, including against crypto messenger services. In April 2023, a group of perpetrators made up of Austrians, Serbs and Croats who were growing cannabis in two halls south of Vienna were exposed. Investigators seized a ton of cannabis with a market value of 4.2 million euros. This group led to the arrest of 13 people and the seizure of 292,000 euros in cash, reported bmi.gv.at.

The fight against organized drug crime is supported by AG Achilles, which has been working since 2021 and has gained valuable insights in collaboration with the FBI and DEA. Since its founding, over a ton of drugs have been confiscated. In 2023, seven laboratories for the production of addictive substances were discovered in every federal state except Burgenland and Vorarlberg.

Drug coverage and trends

The annual report on the drug situation in Austria, which is commissioned by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the Ministry of Health, comprehensively covers developments regarding drug offenses and the epidemiological situation. The 2024 Drug Report focuses in particular on developments in 2023 and offers analyzes of drug markets and drug-related topics. The latest updates to the report provide additional insight into the challenges facing society, as reported an increase in drug-related deaths from 235 to 248, primarily from mixed opioid intoxication social ministry.gv.at.

In summary, the situation in Austria shows that despite progress in the fight against drug-related crime, significant challenges remain. Drug markets are dynamic and authorities must continually respond to new developments to protect public health and ensure safety.