April 24, 2020, 2:58 p.m.
Crime - Duisburg
fight against Mafia: 14 men accused of cocaine trafficking
Germany

Duisburg (dpa / lnw) - In the fight against the international cocaine trade of the mafia organization `Ngdrangheta, the Duisburg public prosecutor has brought charges against 14 men. The accused between 30 and 56 years of age are accused of participating in the year-long trade in a total of around 680 kg of cocaine, as the Duisburg regional court announced on Friday. It is said that more than 400 kilograms of cocaine were actually transported, and a further 280 kilograms were "concrete negotiations". Eight suspects are in custody, a spokeswoman said.

The indictment also suggests that some of the men are suspected: education and support for a foreign criminal organization, commercial money laundering and fraud, tax evasion and violations of the Arms Act.

The accused are accused - in different offenses - of having traded in cocaine or supported the trade between January 2014 and December 2018. In individual cases, this involved quantities of up to 220 kilograms per crime. The purchase price is said to have been up to 36,000 euros per kilo of cocaine.

Prosecutors assume that drug trafficking in 16 of the accused cases was financed and organized by members of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta. It is the most powerful mafia organization in the world and controls the international cocaine trade. In Germany it has a firm foothold, is particularly active in NRW.

Five accused men are members of the 'Ndrangheta, according to the indictment. Six are said to have supported the association. The court spokeswoman added that among the three other men were those who, according to the indictment, were working in the background and were supposed to have provided bug-proof cell phones.

The pattern of the crime presumably looked like this: The narcotics are said to have come regularly from South America to Europe - for example to the Netherlands or to Belgium - and then been distributed within Europe. In advance, suppliers agreed on prices and logistics, so-called "brokers" had clarified the desired amount of cocaine with the families of 'Ndrangheta. The drugs are said to have been imported into Europe by air or sea. With a partially sophisticated camouflage: According to the indictment, companies were sometimes founded that officially ordered legal goods such as bananas or wood, in order to then camouflage the cocaine in a joint transport.