German customs seize 500‑tonne cocaine haul in Wilhelmshaven

German customs uncovered one of the largest cocaine shipments ever seized in the country at the Jade‑Weser‑Port in Wilhelmshaven. More than eight tonnes of the drug, packed in over 400 black‑foil‑wrapped parcels inside a container falsely declared as cocoa beans bound for Spain, were confiscated. The estimated street value of the haul is around €500 million. The operation was kept secret for investigative reasons until it was disclosed in June.

International cooperation led to the arrest of two alleged organizers in Spain’s Almería province after a staged container hand‑over. One of the suspects is the director of an import company. In response, Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said the government will soon present a customs‑finance reform law to give the agency new technical and legal tools against organised crime.