Holger Münch, the president of the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), has issued a warning about an increasing influx of cocaine into Germany, stating that drug smugglers are adapting their tactics in response to law enforcement measures. Münch told the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (Wednesday edition) that there is an uptick in cocaine offenses, although the increase is not as significant as in previous years. He added that the same trend applies to synthetic drugs, cautioning that vigilance must remain high because a substantial supply of cocaine is still coming from the countries where it is grown.
Regarding cocaine specifically, Münch noted that smugglers have begun using different routes. He explained that the “drop-off method” is being implemented more frequently, wherein cocaine is thrown overboard from the high seas and then picked up by other vessels. He also pointed out that smugglers are shifting their focus to different countries, leading to international cooperation. As part of a recent joint operation, the BKA is now working with Portugal, Spain, and several other nations, as smaller ports in the southeastern European region are seeing increased traffic compared to before.
The BKA chief also observed that cocaine is being chemically integrated into other substances and subsequently extracted from them, a process that involves large amounts of money. Consequently, the smugglers are highly reactive to police actions. Last year, the official police crime statistics recorded 39,414 offenses related to cocaine, including crack cocaine. This represents a 1.9 percent increase compared to the figures from 2024.
