Traffic check Hatzenport: 3 drivers on cannabis
Officers from Police Inspections Koblenz 2 and Cochem, together with Brodenbach Police Station, carried out a cross-department traffic control operation in the Hatzenport area on Tuesday, 23 June 2026. The measure targeted various traffic offences and included both stationary and mobile checks along the routes used. The aim was to improve road safety while consistently pursuing violations of traffic regulations.
Hatzenport is located in the district of Mayen-Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate and, due to its position on the Moselle, is a busy traffic hub. In such areas where commuter, leisure and heavy goods traffic converge, authorities increasingly rely on visible presence and targeted controls to detect accidents and rule violations at an early stage.
Scope of the control operation
During the operation, officers checked a total of 83 vehicles with 104 occupants. The checks lasted several hours and were coordinated by several deployment teams. In addition to conventional traffic stops, targeted inspections were carried out focusing in particular on compliance with speed limits and the fitness to drive of the motorists involved.
Koblenz Police Directorate stated in its report that such cross-department operations are a well-established instrument of traffic enforcement. By pooling resources from multiple stations, larger control areas can be covered and a higher density of checks achieved than would be possible during regular patrol duty.
Speed violations and measurement results
When evaluating the checks, officers recorded nine speed violations. The most notable case involved a driver who was travelling significantly above the permitted speed within a built-up area limited to 50 kilometres per hour. After deducting the legally required measurement tolerance, a recorded speed of 75 kilometres per hour was established. Such a violation within built-up areas is considered serious and can result in substantial fines and penalty points depending on severity.
Speed checks are among the most common reasons for police traffic enforcement measures. Especially in rural and semi-urban areas such as the Hatzenport region, where narrow village roads and changing speed limits prevail, exceedances repeatedly occur that increase the accident risk for all road users.
Cannabis influence in three drivers
In addition to speed offences, findings related to narcotics came into focus during the Hatzenport control. Officers identified three drivers who were participating in road traffic under the influence of cannabis. Cannabis consumption demonstrably impairs reaction ability, concentration and perception in traffic, thereby posing a significant safety risk to other road users.
Administrative offence proceedings under Section 24a of the Road Traffic Act were initiated against the three individuals concerned. This provision governs the handling of drivers who participate in traffic under the influence of intoxicating substances. Depending on the severity of the offence, those affected face fines, driving bans and entries in the driving aptitude register. In serious cases, criminal proceedings may also be initiated.
Risks of driving under the influence of drugs
Experts have been warning for years about the consequences of driving under the influence of cannabis. Unlike alcohol, the effects of THC remain in the body over a longer period, so impairments can still occur hours after consumption. Police traffic controls are therefore increasingly targeted at signs of drug use, for example through observation of conspicuous driving behaviour or the use of rapid tests.
The identification of three drivers under cannabis influence within a single control day underlines that the consumption of intoxicating substances in road traffic is not a marginal phenomenon. For those affected, a positive finding can have far-reaching consequences: in addition to financial penalties, the driving licence may be revoked if fitness to drive is in question. In such cases, police regularly emphasise that even low residual levels in the blood can be sufficient to trigger proceedings.
Further findings during the control
In addition to the cannabis cases, officers identified another driver who was participating in road traffic under the influence of alcohol at more than 0.5 per mille. Administrative offence proceedings under Section 24a of the Road Traffic Act were also initiated against him. The combination of alcohol and drug checks within a single traffic operation shows that police monitoring of fitness to drive focuses not only on conventional traffic offences but also on impairment caused by intoxicating substances.
Furthermore, officers found reason to suspect that another driver did not hold a valid driving licence. This case is also being pursued by the responsible authorities. Driving a motor vehicle without a valid licence constitutes a serious offence and can lead to fines as well as criminal consequences.
Response from Koblenz Police Directorate
Koblenz Police Directorate referred enquiries about the operation to Police Inspection Koblenz 2 on Trierer Strasse in Koblenz. According to the authority, cross-department cooperation between Koblenz 2, Cochem and Brodenbach has proved successful and is to be continued in comparable form. Such controls serve not only the immediate prosecution of offences but also prevention and raising public awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of intoxicating substances.
The results of the Hatzenport control show that significant violations can be detected even in seemingly quiet traffic areas. With 83 vehicles checked and several relevant findings in the areas of speed, cannabis influence, alcohol and driving licence, the operation provides a clear picture of the current traffic situation in the control area.
