Lower Saxony collects illegal profits: Millions in the sights of the judiciary!

Lower Saxony collects illegal profits: Millions in the sights of the judiciary!

In Lower Saxony, the pressure on organized crime is increasing significantly. Justice Minister Kathrin Wahlmann (SPD) recently emphasized that the authorities are increasingly busy dealing with illegal activities. In 2024, over 7.5 million euros in illegal profits were skimmed off - this is the highest amount in the last five years. This was a remarkable achievement compared to the estimated illegal profits, which rose to 27.4 million euros in the same year. In the previous year it was 15.1 million euros.

The skimming rate rose to 27.6 percent in 2024 after being 19.5 percent in 2023. These figures not only show the increasing pressure on criminals, but also the constant work of the police, who investigated 65 cases in 2024. These numbers are similar to the 68 cases registered the year before. Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD) announced that asset confiscations amounting to millions were achieved, which underlines the tireless efforts of the officials.

Insight into the structure of crime

A look at the number of suspects reveals the international dimension of organized crime in Lower Saxony: 712 suspects from 50 countries were identified, with almost 45 percent being of German nationality. There is a notable increase in foreign suspects, including Albanians (10%), Dutch and Turks (7% each). What is particularly noteworthy is that 44 percent of police investigations concern drug-related offenses, with cocaine being the top priority.

The fight against organized crime is not only driven by investigations. Lower Saxony is planning to increase personnel in order to support the judicial authorities more efficiently. 100 new positions in the public prosecutor's office are planned for 2025, with a further increase of 34 positions the following year. This is made possible by relocating from less burdened sectors. A new central office focused on cybercrime will also begin work in 2026.

Technological advances and new strategies

The challenges are growing and the demands on the investigative authorities are changing. The CDU parliamentary group is calling for modern police law that includes the use of artificial intelligence to make the fight against crime more efficient. The police union has also made an interesting demand: They want confiscated assets to flow back into the police stations. Clarifying e-crimes remains a challenge, which is why Interior Minister Behrens is calling for regulations on the storage of IP addresses.

A small ray of hope is the decline in ATM blasts: from 39 in 2023 to just 19 acts. This development gives hope that the constant monitoring and the efforts made to ensure safety controls could have an effect.

In conclusion, the situation in Lower Saxony represents a constant challenge for the authorities, who are determined not to turn their backs on this problem. It remains to be seen what further steps will be taken to assess the impact of the partial legalization of cannabis, as noted by the Green Party. The police and judiciary assume that a stronger focus on combating crime is necessary. So let’s wait eagerly for the next developments!

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