Overview

• Cologne police have identified 35 suspects linked to a wave of violence following the theft of 300 kilograms of cannabis from a warehouse in Hürth.
• Of the suspects, 19 are in pre-trial detention, four in extradition custody, and others remain under investigation.
• The violence includes 11 explosions, shootings, and a kidnapping, with some incidents involving hired Dutch operatives through an online platform.
• Police, in collaboration with Dutch authorities and Europol, executed arrests in Amsterdam and seized explosives during searches.
• Authorities describe the phenomenon as 'violence as a service,' where hired perpetrators often remain unaware of their employers' identities.