Major drug checks in Cottbus: Police catch 12 drivers!

Major drug checks in Cottbus: Police catch 12 drivers!

The police carried out a large-scale control operation in Cottbus today that focused on drugs and alcohol on the roads. As part of the “Drugs in Road Traffic” action day, officers checked an enormous number of vehicles on the A15 near Vetschau. By early afternoon, police had already checked 821 vehicles, with traffic density noticeably reduced by reducing speed and narrowing traffic to one lane. The inspection revealed some alarming results: 12 drivers were under the influence of intoxicants, while four were driving without a valid driving license. Two vehicles were also on the wanted list and were confiscated. A truck driver suffered heart and circulatory problems during the check and was given medical care, fortunately without the need for the rescue helicopter. Police said these checks will continue into the afternoon.

Cottbus leads a sad statistic with 17,345 traffic accidents in 2024, in which 30 people lost their lives or were injured, mainly due to the influence of alcohol and drugs. This makes such preventative actions that are intended to increase road safety all the more important. How kommunal.at reports, statistics show that alcohol-related accidents increase sharply, especially during festival periods. With a 0.5 alcohol limit, any driving under the influence of alcohol can be legally punished, which significantly increases the risk of traffic accidents.

Drug trafficking investigations

However, the police were not only active on the streets. Another significant operation took place in Cottbus on Thursday: a total of eight objects were searched here as part of an investigation into an alleged drug trade. How rbb24 Reportedly, sniffer dogs were used to find suspicious substances such as crystal meth, ecstasy, cannabis and cocaine. Assets worth six figures were also confiscated during these searches. A suspect, a 41-year-old man, was provisionally arrested while investigations by the State Criminal Police Office and the public prosecutor's office lasted months.

Among the objects searched was the “Scandale” event location in the “Bunten Bahnhof” in Cottbus, but no drugs were found by the police. The managing director, Philip Gärtner, commented in a press release on the incidents and the police presence, which caused a stir in the area.

Traffic accidents and their consequences

Current traffic incidents in Cottbus include an accident involving a cyclist who was hit by a car on Bahnhofstrasse. The 59-year-old cyclist suffered injuries, while property damage amounted to around 1,000 euros. The list is rounded off by other traffic accidents: A Jaguar collided with a truck while changing lanes, which luckily left no injuries, but caused material damage of around 7,000 euros.

Another accident occurred with a driver of a Mercedes who was heavily intoxicated and had a breath alcohol concentration of 1.2 per mille. The same applies to an e-scooter driver who was stopped on Berliner Straße and was taken out of traffic with the same blood alcohol level. These incidents once again highlight the need for increased awareness and stricter controls around alcohol to ensure not only your own safety but also the safety of other road users.