Allegations emerge concerning the Micro Mafia's involvement in a powerful explosion close to Bonn.
In the municipality of Wachtberg, shady characters activate an explosive device near a residential building. The event is suspected to be a retaliation against Samuel S., who currently resides in Australia. In an interview with "Stern" and RTL/ntv, he discusses his past as a drug trafficker for the Macro-Mafia. However, investigators express doubts.
The wee hours of September 22nd in Wachtberg-Adendorf neighboring Bonn echo with an explosion. At around 4:30 AM, an explosive device detonates close to the entrance of the S. family's residence. The door is ruined, and the blast wave enters the hallway, pushing open doors on different floors. This device contains around 3-digit grams of explosives, as reported by "Stern" and RTL/ntv.
Remnants of the blast remain in the hallway, narrowly missing the family's cherished Jack Russell terrier, which typically sleeps near the entrance on the ground floor. However, the attack is not aimed at the dog or the two inhabitants, a father and his son. The intended target of this explosive ambush is the father's older son, Samuel. He has found himself in crosshairs with a criminal organization. To emphasize the point, the unknown assailants paint "Samuel Burglar" beside the entrance door.
Target identified as a drug distributor
This incident is part of a broader series of explosive attacks that have occurred in Cologne and North Rhine-Westphalia in recent months. Merely three days prior to the explosion in Wachtberg, the Cologne police chief mentioned "unusually severe and violent crimes" - and confirmed a creeping suspicion many had: "The connections to organized crime in the Netherlands are conspicuous." This also seems applicable to the explosion in Wachtberg.
Some in the area still recognize Samuel S. from his school days. In Bonn's Bad Godesberg district and his hometown in the Wachtberg district, the 23-year-old gained notoriety amidst his friends as a cannabis dealer. Those needing "something" after school could find it with Samuel, as an old acquaintance recalls.
Samuel S.' whereabouts today are on the other side of the world. "Stern" and RTL manage to hear his side of the story through a video call. S. has been living in Australia for about three years, supposedly on a business visa. On the phone, S. elucidates how he entered the drug trade and allegedly forged ties with the infamous Macro-Mafia in the Netherlands.
Cocaine smuggling across the border
S. claims his drug dealing career started at 14 through a friendship with Moroccan classmates. Together, they began dealing drugs. "We would smoke joints every day and sell weed and other drugs," S. declares. The thrill of the forbidden and financial profits drew him further into the scene. At 17, S. allegedly smuggled large quantities of cocaine from the Netherlands to Germany, selling it in the Bonn region for a group associated with the Macro-Mafia.
The phrase "Macro-Mafia" refers to a complex network of Dutch drug gangs that have long outgrown their origins as mere criminal organizations of Moroccan descent. These gangs are instrumental players in the European cocaine smuggling scene and have repeatedly attracted media attention through acts of violence. Attacks involving explosives are commonplace in the Netherlands, where they are considered a typical manifestation of criminal conflicts.
S. asserts that he frequently visited the Dutch border town of Kerkrade to obtain cocaine at abandoned parking lots. He then transported the cocaine back to Germany in his car through purported "corridors," which he describes as unofficial border crossings supposedly controlled by the Macro-Mafia. "It's crazy, like you're a diplomat," S. describes the journey through these corridors during an interview with Stern and RTL. However, these claims cannot be independently verified.
Approximately 5,000 Euros per kilo of cocaine
For about three years, S. asserts he worked for the drug syndicate and amassed a considerable fortune. He allegedly received around 5,000 Euros per kilo of cocaine he smuggled across the border. At 20, around three years ago, S. cut ties with the organized crime syndicate after narrowly evading detection during a border patrol. Furthermore, the Macro-Mafia was imposing ever-shorter deadlines for him to sell the drugs in Germany, placing undue pressure and risks upon S.
S. believes that the dispute with the gang, which escalated into the explosion on his father's home, is an attempt to intimidate him and force him back into the fold. His explanation for why the situation has escalated appears dubious: "I'm doing quite well financially in Australia," S. claims. His former partners, he says, are allegedly envious of his success in founding five businesses in Australia, including a clothing brand and a music label.
However, a search of the Australian business registry reveals only one enterprise assigned to his name. The company's website displays logos for a fashion brand and a music label, but there are no functional links to an online store or an imprint with company information.
Threatening messages on Snapchat
During his interview with Stern and RTL, S. shared Snapchat messages from a user named "Jack," featuring ominous threats such as "I'll fuck your dad soon" a few days before the explosion. Apart from these threatening messages, S. cannot provide any solid evidence to support his claims regarding his involvement in the drug trafficking world. Law enforcement authorities are therefore hesitant to believe his story.
There's speculation that the explosion could be linked to a disagreement over unpaid obligations from a drug transaction, with the "Samuel Thief" tag found at the crime scene fueling this theory. However, in a chat with Stern and RTL, S. strongly rejects having any outstanding debts with their ex-associates.
Officials have their doubts about whether these associates are high-ranking members of the Micro-Mafia. According to information obtained from law enforcement, the suspects could potentially be connected to the Micro-Mafia, albeit loosely. Authorities behind the scenes refer to them as the "outer circle". This term signifies individuals who aren't part of the Dutch gangs' core group, but might have ties to them.
The European Union expresses concern over the escalating drug trafficking and organized crime issues in Germany, particularly in North Rhine-Westphalia and Cologne, where incidents like the recent explosion in Wachtberg are becoming common.
In light of these developments, some European Union lawmakers have called for stricter border controls and enhanced cooperation between German and Dutch authorities to combat the rising influence of criminals like the Macro-Mafia.
