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COCAINE

Cocaine surge on Geneva streets

Faced with an increasing cocaine problem, Geneva city police still do not have the power to intervene in street deals.

Published: 13 June 2012 11:27 CEST
Cocaine surge on Geneva streets
Valerie Everett (File)

The mayor of Geneva, Pierre Maudet, wants to strengthen the police force and introduce tougher sentences in an attempt to combat the rising cocaine problem in the city, online news site Le Matin reported.

“Let’s be clear: under the current state laws, city police can not intervene directly to stop a deal. We try to tackle the problem differently.”

Three areas of the city, namely Pâquis, Plainpalais-Junction and the areas around the central station, have been particularly affected by drug dealers, the news site reported.

“The Pâquis… has become a drug supermarket; this is unacceptable,” Maudet said.

The mayor hopes that by increasing the number of foot patrols and a greater police presence in the relevant areas, he will be able to reduce the amount of cocaine being sold on the streets.

Plans are under discussion too to open a new police station in an old abandoned building that was once the scene of many a drug-deal.

“This year, I’ve managed to hire 30 new agents, which is a 25 percent increase in staff,” Maudet said.

The mayor also believes that minimum sentences should be introduced to the penal code and strictly adhered to.

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DRUGS

How drug dealers in Germany are adapting to new corona reality

The chief of the German bureau of investigation (BKA) said drug dealers had learned new ways to sell their wares, stating that “we haven't noticed a shortage on the market".

Published: 9 September 2020 10:51 CEST
Updated: 9 September 2020 16:55 CEST
How drug dealers in Germany are adapting to new corona reality
Drug dealers adapted to the coronavirus crisis. Photo: DPA

Many industries have been hit hard in the coronavirus crisis. But it appears drug dealers adapted quickly during the lockdown, even while doing home office.

Move to online and delivery

Presenting his agency's annual report on drug criminality on Tuesday, BKA boss Holger Münch said that dealers had quickly adapted to the coronavirus by offering more service online.

Narcotics purchased via the internet and delivered by post – often to a packet shop – had increased during the pandemic.

Smuggling by air and sea continued at a constant level throughout the crisis in comparison with recent years, he said.

SEE ALSO: 10 things you should know about illegal drug use in Germany

'Cocaine not elite drug anymore'

Münch made the comments during the presentation of the annual drug report, which showed an increase in drug criminality for the ninth year in a row last year.

Criminality in connection with cocaine rose most sharply, increasing by 12 percent. “We've come to the conclusion that this isn’t an elite drug anymore,'' said Münch.

The largest quantity of cocaine ever seized in Germany was discovered by customs in July 2019 during a routine check in the port of Hamburg.

A container of soybeans, which was to be transported from Uruguay via Hamburg to Belgium, contained 4.5 tonnes of cocaine. The estimated street value was almost one billion euros.

Drug use increasing

Meanwhile, 31 illegal drug labs were busted nationwide in 2019, a 63 percent increase on 2018.

In total, the number of drug offences registered in 2019 rose by 2.6 percent compared to the previous year to 359,747. By far the most offences were related to cannabis. 

“Instead of wasting resources on prosecuting users, the federal and state governments should take targeted action against organized drug crime and the black market,” said FDP drug policy expert Wieland Schinnenburg. 

Schinnenburg proposed starting the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults, which would free up police resources to go after more serious crimes.

Münch said that he was not against conducting a debate on liberalization. But he cautioned that he had not seen evidence to suggest either that legalization leads to lower consumption or that it weakens the power of organized crime networks.

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