Too many parcels: Zoll Cologne/Bonn discovers unexpected drug boom

more and more cannabis smuggling from the USA

In the past few months there has been a striking increase in the smuggling of cannabis from the USA to Germany. The customs officers at Cologne/Bonn Airport, one of the most important hubs for air freight in Europe, report on a worrying increase in package programs with marijuana that are addressed directly to recipients in Germany. In the past, most of the discovered cannabis packages were primarily sent to other European countries.

The customs officers use different methods to filter out suspicious programs, including the use of X -ray devices and drug detection dogs. A current example shows that over two kilograms of marijuana were discovered in a single packet from the USA. The particularly coveted cannabis variant often comes from California, which indicates that this region plays a central role in international drug trafficking.

smuggling methods and challenges

The methods with which the drugs are smuggled vary considerably. While some senders try to hide the drugs cleverly, there are also cases in which the cannabis is openly sent. This development presents both the customs authorities with new challenges and the question of the motivation behind this increase in a country that is in the debate about the legalization of cannabis.

Although there is no clear indications that the partial legalization of cannabis in Germany leads to this increase in smuggling, this aspect remains an important topic of discussion. The customs officials emphasize that they will continue to investigate the background of this increase. An unprecedented intensity in the customs investigation could support the investigation against international drug gangs.

outlook and meaning

The amounts of marijuana found are alarming, especially in view of the fact that the sequences ensured probably only make up a small part of the entire illegal trade. Despite intensive controls, the customs authorities are convinced that many packages reach shipping unseen. In the coming time, it will be important not only to fight the smuggling, but also to discuss the requirements for possible legalization and regulation of cannabis in Germany in order to clarify both health and security policy issues.