Gigantic drug discovery: Two million Captagon tablets in Landsberg!

Gigantic drug discovery: Two million Captagon tablets in Landsberg!

An extraordinary drug discovery excited investigators in Saxony-Anhalt last weekend. In a vegetable store in Landsberg, around 360 kilograms of the stimulant drug Captagon were discovered during an inspection using a mobile X-ray system from the main customs office in Dresden. In total, the find includes around 2.1 million tablets that were hidden in 975 olive jars. The estimated value of the seized drugs is around 25 million euros. This find is one of the largest individual Captagon finds in Germany, report colleagues from diesachsen.de.

The investigations against the suspects are already underway, but it is noticeable that they are not in Germany. It is also interesting that the suspicion against the food store where the drugs were found could not be substantiated. Since its introduction in the 1960s in Germany, where it was originally intended as a medication, Captagon has evolved into a synthetic drug that is primarily consumed in the Middle East. Today's variants mostly contain amphetamine, no longer the originally used active ingredient fenetylline, and are highly addictive, experts warn.

Smuggling networks and numerous discoveries

But this drug discovery is not the only one in recent times. Investigators from the Essen Customs Investigation Office have seized several large finds of Captagon in recent months, including 300 kilograms in a production facility in Regensburg. There, too, production took place in illegal factories in Syria and Lebanon, which shows the international dimension of the problem. This large amount represents the highest find in Germany and has a sales value of around 60 million euros tagesschau.de reported.

In total, the find adds up to 460 kilograms of Captagon, including previous discoveries made at Cologne/Bonn and Leipzig/Halle airports. The investigators didn't have to rely on big crazy ideas, but instead found the drugs disguised in sandbags and even under scented candles. With a street value of around 60 million euros, this represents a serious spotlight on drug crime in Germany.

The role of Syria in drug production

In the last three years, the total value of finds in Germany has amounted to half a billion euros. Experts estimate that only about 10 percent of smuggled drugs are actually intercepted. The drug problem is also closely linked to Syria, where the drug is produced particularly in illegal networks, some of which could be supported by the Syrian government. A sinister example of these entanglements came to light when some Hamas terrorists were found with Captagon tablets, further complicating the situation MDR reported.

The state investigative authorities are determined to continue investigating the network. Numerous suspects, including four Syrians between the ages of 33 and 45, were arrested in North Rhine-Westphalia and are currently in custody. The Aachen public prosecutor's office has announced that it will continue to analyze the structures behind this drug trade.

These recent developments clearly demonstrate how complex and challenging the fight against drug trafficking has become and make it clear that there is still much work to be done.