Crime - Drugs in the saddle or under building blocks: A lot of work for customs
Smuggled were the drugs in package- and letter mailings, but also in cars, buses, and trains. Some of them had been very refinedly hidden, said a spokesperson. So a whole washing machine had been made of Amphetamine. The customs officers found it at Cologne/Bonn airport in a package that was on its way to Australia. Another package contained a glass bowl - the Styrofoam balls that were supposed to protect the glass from breaking were filled with Cocaine.
Besides drugs, the customs officers also secured counterfeit goods worth 35 million Euro. "Behind the more than 1500 seizures were approximately 180,000 counterfeit handbags, watches, shoes, glasses, clothing, mobile phones and accessories, but also dangerous children's toys", said Frank Denner, new head of HZA since May.
Recently, the employees were also active during the Football EM: In a package, they discovered around 200 pieces of the coveted pink-colored Germany jerseys - convincingly counterfeited.
The main customs office in North Rhine-Westphalia reported a significant seizure at Cologne/Bonn Airport. A kilo of cocaine was concealed in a car's building block, intended for delivery. The discovery of this large-scale drug smuggling led to arrests and investigations into organized crime.
Furthermore, the customs office confiscated a cargo of Ecstasy, cleverly disguised as Styrofoam balls protecting a glass bowl in a package destined for overseas. These synthetics are another harmful substance unsuitable for children's play, which further highlights the need for vigilance.
Indeed, the importance of safeguarding children transcends borders, as counterfeit toys, filled with drugs, pose a severe threat to their wellbeing. Authorities work tirelessly to ward off this menace by uncovering such dangerous items, preventing them from reaching unsuspecting families.
In this context, the customs office in Cologne/Bonn has played an instrumental role in curbing criminal activity, seizing counterfeit goods worth 35 million Euro, including unreliable merchandise targeted at children, such as toys and clothing. While this achievement is commendable, the war on crime remains an ongoing challenge demanding constant vigilance.
