Overview

• A large-scale operation involving 400 police officers targeted 80 locations in Berlin, focusing on illegal gambling machines in cafes, convenience stores, and snack bars.
• The raids are part of a 2023 initiative to dismantle organized crime networks through enhanced cooperation between justice, police, and district authorities.
• Berlin Justice Senator Felor Badenberg emphasized the importance of disrupting illegal income sources, such as gambling, to weaken organized crime.
• Authorities have increasingly used asset forfeiture, recovering €8.8 million in criminally obtained assets in 2024, up from €4.9 million in 2023.
• Organized crime caused €57 million in damages in Berlin in 2023, with illegal gambling machines identified as a highly lucrative revenue stream for criminal networks.