Overview

• German police detained six suspects, aged 27 to 59, in coordinated raids in Berlin and Essen following the discovery of cocaine hidden in teakwood beams.
• The shipment, originating from Costa Rica, was ordered by a Berlin-based construction company, whose two executives are among the arrested suspects.
• Customs officials found 64 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the timber at the Hamburg port in December 2024 and allowed the drug-free shipment to continue under surveillance.
• Raids on properties in Berlin, Bochum, and Gladbeck uncovered additional evidence, including mobile phones and documents linked to the smuggling operation.
• The case highlights the increasing volume of global cocaine trafficking, with Germany frequently intercepting substantial drug shipments, particularly at the Hamburg port.