Germany police chief warns of 'cocaine surge'

BERLIN, Germany

Germany is experiencing a "cocaine surge" amid a more general increase in the use of hard drugs, according to the head of the country's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA).

"Cocaine is spreading rapidly in Germany," Holger Münch was quoted as saying in comments published by the RND news network on Tuesday.

Münch said that the focus of the international drug trade is switching to Europe because "the market in North America is saturated."

According to Germany's 2024 crime statistics quoted by the DPA news agency, the number of cocaine-related offenses in the country increased by nearly 5% last year.

Münch also warned of changing dynamics in the global heroin market caused by an opium ban imposed by the new Taliban government in Afghanistan.

"This has created a shortage and therefore increased the risk of [heroin being cut with] synthetic opioids, which poses a higher risk for consumers," he explained, highlighting issues caused by fentanyl in the United States, even though heroin-related offenses in Germany were down last year.

Münch was also unconvinced by the partial legalization of cannabis by Germany's outgoing coalition government. Since April, the cultivation of small amounts of marijuana in specially authorized clubs for personal use has been permitted, while adults are allowed to carry up to 25 grams (just under one ounce) of cannabis on their person in public.

"The cannabis legalization won't have any effect on the black market; these so-called cannabis clubs don't even begin to satisfy the demand," said Münch, who complained that the new legislation has actually made the police's work harder.

"When people can legally carry 25 grams in their pocket, it's more difficult to prove that they're dealing," he said.

In their coalition talks, the incoming Christian Democrat (CDU) and Social Democrat (SPD) coalition government has agreed to evaluate the cannabis legalization in autumn 2025, with the conservative CDU in favor of reversing it altogether.

"The fight against illegal drug dealing must remain at the top of the agenda for the police and the justice system," insisted Münch.

The CDU received the largest share of the vote in Germany's February federal election and is set to be the senior partner in the new two-party coalition government. Party leader Friedrich Merz is likely to be elected chancellor in May.