Cocaine cartels appear to be increasingly turning to smaller North Sea ports in order to smuggle drugs into Europe. According to the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior and reports in the Funke media group, the proximity of Lower Saxony to the North Sea makes entry through these smaller harbours a particular focus for security agencies. Criminal organisations are reportedly shifting away from the heavily monitored major European ports – such as Hamburg or Rotterdam – toward less-scrutinised facilities.
The state criminal police office (LKA) reports that, in the past three years alone, more than two tonnes of cocaine destined for the ports of Brake and Stade‑Bützfleth has been smuggled from South America into Germany. The drugs were often intercepted by police and customs in countries such as Brazil, Italy, or Poland before reaching German territory – a scenario the LKA describes as the “bright side” of the operation. However, the exact amount that actually makes it through the route remains unknown.
Lower Saxony Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD) told the Funke newspapers that organised crime presents “one of the greatest challenges for our security authorities”. She added that the phenomenon is characterised by a high degree of professionalism, international networking, and a constant adaptation to new technologies. “Organised criminals will continue to strive to maintain their income streams” she said. “The concepts of our security services are working. The investigators’ work is successful and promotes safety”. The ministry highlighted a joint project between federal and state agencies aimed at better detecting what it calls “port insiders”.
Last year, Holger Münch, the head of the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), warned of a rise in hard drugs in Germany. He described a “cocaine surge” noting that the market saturation in North America is pushing traffickers to focus more on Europe – a trend that is already having a strong effect in Germany.
