Drug smuggling at Vienna Airport: 11 kilos of grass in the suitcase secured!

Drug smuggling at Vienna Airport: 11 kilos of grass in the suitcase secured!

At the Vienna-Schwechat Airport, customs officials made a remarkable find: On Tuesday, a suitcase with 11.3 kilos of cannabis cabbage was discovered in the luggage of a 31-year-old British during controls. The suspect was arrested before his onward flight to Newcastle. His luggage was checked in Bangkok and was to be transported to Great Britain via Frankfurt. However, the man did not comment on the allegations and was finally admitted to the Korneuburg judge, as the Kleine Zeitung.

This incident is part of a major problem in drug trafficking that the Austrian authorities have been busy. As the KURIER has already been initiated in July 2023, in which the city police command Schwechat, the Federal Criminal Police Office and the customs a joint action was able to ensure 600 kilograms of cannabis herb. These drugs should be used for further transport to other European cities.

structures of drug trade

The investigation led to a total of 21 arrests of suspects between the ages of 20 and 54 from a wide variety of nationalities, which were also admitted to the Korneuburg judge. The alleged smugglers were recruited with high rewards via online forums, with the clients lending a guarantee of success. The backers of the drug trade are still the subject of intensive investigations, and the increase in addictive substances, not only in Vienna, shows the urgency of these measures.

The background of these developments is the legalization of cannabis cultivation in Thailand, which led to an oversupply and a drop in prices on the market. This has encouraged criminal organizations to expand their activities in Europe and increase sales figures.

The role of the Federal Criminal Police Office

The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) plays a central role in the fight against the internationally organized drug crime. This form of crime benefits significantly from illegal profits that are a dangerous threat to internal security in Germany, in the EU and worldwide. The BKA coordinates investigations and supports police authorities through comprehensive analyzes and persecution strategies.

The fight against drug trafficking extends to various types of drugs, including cannabis, heroin, cocaine and synthetic drugs. The spread of new psychoactive substances (NPS) presents the law enforcement authorities with additional challenges because they are often sold over the Internet and require a high degree of specialization in dealing with them.

The joint efforts of the Austrian authorities, in combination with national and international cooperation, show the constant challenges that drug trafficking is for public security.