Lünen: Police seize cannabis and car

On Wednesday afternoon, 12 August 2026, Dortmund police conducted an alert-driven check in Lünen that ultimately led to the seizure of cannabis, a car, an air rifle, and cash. The operation began with a conspicuous vehicle on Wethmarheide street that immediately caught the attention of plainclothes officers. The license plates mounted on the car were familiar to the officers from previous operations, but they did not belong to the vehicle in question. This discrepancy triggered a targeted follow-up that spanned several stages and ultimately initiated multiple criminal investigations.

Suspicious car on Wethmarheide

The operation highlights how plainclothes officers from Dortmund police headquarters identify suspicious situations in everyday traffic. Lünen lies within Dortmund's policing district and is among the areas where the authority regularly maintains a visible presence. False licence plates are considered a classic sign of attempted concealment and are assessed particularly critically by experienced officers.

Plainclothes officers from Dortmund police initially observed the suspicious vehicle on Wethmarheide in Lünen. Rather than stopping the car immediately, the officers opted for discreet surveillance to learn more about the driver's behaviour and any possible accomplices. The vehicle turned into a side street near an auto repair shop on Wethmarheide, where the driver got out and entered the workshop building.

During a brief observation period, officers watched the man leave the workshop carrying a black plastic bag in his hand. He then got back into his vehicle. For the officers, this moment was decisive: in the context of the preceding observations, the bag appeared suspicious and justified an immediate follow-up check. Police waited for a suitable moment and carried out the operation shortly afterwards in a company car park on Josef-Rethmann-Straße.

Check in the company car park

In the company car park on Josef-Rethmann-Straße, officers checked both the vehicle and the 30-year-old man from Lünen who had been driving it. During a search of the car, they found the black plastic bag the man had just taken from the auto repair shop. The bag contained a significant quantity of cannabis. Officers immediately seized the bag and its contents and documented the find for further investigation.

In addition to the narcotics discovery, officers identified further serious offences. The driver was under the influence of drugs and did not hold a valid driving licence. Suspicion of licence plate misuse was also confirmed after a brief check: the plates on the car did not belong to the vehicle that was stopped. As ownership of the car could not be clearly established on site, officers also seized the vehicle and the licence plates.

Blood sample and preliminary measures

Following the check, officers took the 30-year-old to Lünen police station. A doctor took a blood sample there to forensically establish the extent of drug impairment. The special conditions required for remand in custody were not met, according to the officers involved. After the police measures were completed, the man was released from the station. Investigations against him are nevertheless continuing.

Search of the auto repair shop

Parallel to the measures against the driver, officers obtained a search warrant for the auto repair shop previously visited on Wethmarheide. With judicial approval, officers entered the premises and searched the rooms systematically. No further narcotics were found during this operation. However, officers came across additional items warranting seizure.

During the search, officers seized cash in the mid three-digit range, a mobile phone, an air rifle, and two licence plates listed as wanted. Whether and to what extent these items are connected to the cannabis find or licence plate misuse is subject to the ongoing investigation. The seizure of the air rifle also raises questions about possible weapons offences that will be examined separately.

Multiple criminal proceedings initiated

The discovery of a significant quantity of cannabis typically carries substantial criminal consequences and goes beyond a mere administrative offence. Combined with driving under the influence of drugs and the lack of a valid licence, the legal risk for the suspect increases further. The seized cash and air rifle may also play a role in further investigations should evidence of organised dealing or additional offences emerge.

Several criminal proceedings were initiated against the 30-year-old from Lünen. The allegations range from driving under the influence of drugs and violations of the Cannabis Consumption Act to licence plate misuse and weapons offences. Each of these charges is being handled by Dortmund police in close coordination with the responsible public prosecutor's office. The cannabis find alone represents a central element of the investigation, as it involved a significant quantity.

Dortmund police directed journalists with enquiries to press spokesman Bartosch Waldowski on 0231/132-1023 or by email at poea.dortmund@polizei.nrw.de. The authority did not initially provide further details on the ongoing investigation. It remains to be seen whether the search of the workshop and the seizure of cash and the air rifle will lead to further arrests or additional charges.