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Over 8 tons of cocaine were seized on February 9, 2026, at the Jade Weser Port in Wilhelmshaven by forces from the Oldenburg Customs Office. This seizure is among the largest confiscations by German customs in recent years. The street value of the illegal drugs is estimated at around 500 million EUR. The successful investigation was the result of collaboration between the Customs Investigation Office in Hanover and the Spanish customs authorities, which led to the arrest of two suspects in Spain on May 14, 2026.
The inspection of the shipping container, which was transported from West Africa to Wilhelmshaven, was conducted following a risk analysis. According to the shipping documents, the container was supposed to be loaded with cocoa beans destined for Spain. However, during an X-ray examination, customs officials discovered irregularities that necessitated a more thorough inspection. Instead of the expected cocoa beans, officials found over 400 packages wrapped in black foil. Each of these packages contained around 20 tightly compressed blocks of cocaine, resulting in a total weight of approximately 8 tons.
International cooperation leads to arrests
The investigations were led by the Customs Investigation Office in Hanover on behalf of the Aurich Public Prosecutor’s Office, which is responsible for combating drug-related crime. Since the container was destined for Spain, the Spanish customs authorities were involved in the investigations. The cocaine packages were equipped with GPS transmitters to track their location at all times. Chief Public Prosecutor Jan Wilken stated that the illegal cargo was destroyed in Germany under strict security measures before being transported to Barcelona. This was intended to prevent the criminals from retrieving the seized cocaine later.
As part of further investigations in Spain, two main suspects were identified as being responsible for smuggling the cargo. Following extensive investigations in Barcelona, the suspects were arrested in mid-May 2026 during a handover of the container in an industrial area in the province of Almería. One of the arrested individuals, a managing director of an import company, is also linked to a previous cocaine shipment by sea.
Dr. Tino Igelmann, head of the Customs Criminal Office, emphasized the importance of the seizure and the subsequent investigations. He highlighted that the close cooperation between German and Spanish customs authorities, as well as effective risk management, were crucial to the success of the operation. Igelmann stated that combating internationally organized drug smuggling is only possible through cross-border cooperation.
Fernando Iglesias Pérez, Deputy Director of the Spanish Customs Authority, thanked the Customs Criminal Office for the professional collaboration. He emphasized that the case is an example of what customs authorities can achieve when a solid cooperation framework exists. Transnational criminal networks require an equally international response to the challenges of drug trafficking.
The two arrested individuals are in pre-trial detention and are facing several years of imprisonment in Spain. Information regarding this case could only be released now for investigative reasons.
