Big blow against drug lord: Vienna police catch international smugglers!

Big blow against drug lord: Vienna police catch international smugglers!

Vienna police have carried out a significant strike against a cross-border drug trafficking group. Several suspects were arrested in a large-scale operation by the task force to combat street crime (EGS). Investigators were able to arrest a total of seven suspected members of the drug ring. The operations took place in Vienna and Lower Austria at the beginning and middle of April, with the police measures sending a clear message in the fight against drug crime.

During the searches in the various residential properties, the officers secured over 650,000 euros in cash, 124.5 kilograms of narcotic drugs as well as two weapons and a forged document. Most notably, a 52-year-old Ukrainian citizen was arrested on April 2 while driving a vehicle for smuggling. The highly risky transport of money between Bratislava and Vienna led the police directly to a so-called “money bunker apartment” in Alsergrund, where large sums of cash in various currencies were discovered.

The drug discoveries in Vienna and the surrounding area

But that's not all: a 22-year-old Austrian who acted as a money messenger for the Ukrainian was also arrested. When he was arrested, the police confiscated cash in the low six-figure euro range, a shotgun, a gas pistol and a forged document. In another “drug bunker apartment” in Leopoldstadt, investigators found 5.5 kilograms of cocaine, illegal weapons and cash in the five-figure euro range.

During subsequent house searches in Donaustadt and Alsergrund, three men aged 26, 27 and 73 with Austrian and Syrian citizenship were arrested. They were also involved in the machinations, which led to further cash seizures in the low five-figure range. The drug discoveries mentioned add up to a total of 5.5 kilograms of cocaine, 16.5 grams of marijuana and 322,640 euros.

International connections and further arrests

On April 11, the police took action against the organization again. Four other suspects were arrested in Simmering and Vösendorf: a 33, 34 and 35-year-old Slovakian and a 54-year-old Hungarian, who are considered part of the logistics chain for drugs from Spain to Austria. A suspected truck was stopped in Simmering containing 119 kilograms of marijuana and 200 grams of hashish. The 54-year-old was even noticed at the handover point with almost 330,000 euros in cash.

The Vienna State Criminal Police Office, South branch, is taking over further investigations. This investigative offensive is part of a broader trend in the fight against drugs, characterized by increased control intensity and growing international cooperation. [Federal Criminal Police Office] describes how these measures are part of the strategy for combating crime in Austria and are intended to help get both prevention and repression under control.

Police crime statistics, which record the development of criminal activity, have shown positive progress in dealing with drug-related crime in Austria since 2001. The focus remains on the consistent prosecution of perpetrators and educating the population about the dangers of drug trafficking. At least the successes so far show that the police have a good hand when it comes to putting a stop to organized crime.