Bingen: Amphetamine seized in e-scooter stop
On Thursday evening, 23 July 2026, at around 10:00 p.m., a patrol from the Bingen police inspection stopped two e-scooter riders who had previously been travelling together in the Hitchinstraße area of Bingen-Büdesheim. What began as a routine traffic stop quickly developed into a case with a clear narcotics connection: both men showed signs of prior drug use, admitted it, and were each carrying amphetamine, which officers seized.
Stop of two e-scooters on Hitchinstraße
Officers stopped both riders at the same time. The initial focus was traffic safety and insurance cover. In Germany, e-scooters are subject to clear rules: in addition to complying with traffic regulations, valid insurance is mandatory. If it is missing or the plate has expired, regulatory offence proceedings and an immediate end to the journey may follow.
On one of the two vehicles, the patrol found that an already expired insurance plate from 2023 was attached. The 32-year-old rider could not present proof of currently valid third-party liability insurance. At the same time, officers noticed clear signs pointing to prior consumption of narcotics.
Cannabis and amphetamine: admission and finds
The 32-year-old admitted recent consumption of cannabis and amphetamine. During the search, officers found a residual quantity of amphetamine as well as a prohibited one-handed knife. Both items were seized. Possession of amphetamine falls under narcotics law; carrying a prohibited knife may also be criminally relevant.
The second rider checked, a 30-year-old man, was able to prove valid third-party liability insurance and had a current insurance plate. Nevertheless, he too showed signs that gave rise to suspicion of impairment by narcotics. He also admitted consuming cannabis and amphetamine. A drug rapid test confirmed the suspicion. During the search, a small quantity of amphetamine was likewise found and seized.
Blood samples and proceedings opened
For both men, who were already known to police, the journey was over. Officers ordered blood samples for evidentiary purposes. Such measures serve to forensically corroborate the suspicion of driving under the influence of narcotics. Corresponding criminal and regulatory offence proceedings were opened against both.
The case covers several offence areas: breaches of compulsory insurance law by the first rider, suspicion of driving under the influence of narcotics for both persons, and possession of amphetamine. In addition, the prohibited one-handed knife found on the 32-year-old is relevant. The combination of traffic offences and narcotics offences is pursued consistently by the authorities.
Why drugs at the wheel are especially dangerous
Cannabis and amphetamine affect perception, reaction times and risk assessment. Anyone who operates a vehicle under the influence of these substances – whether a car, motorcycle or e-scooter – endangers themselves and other road users. E-scooters reach speeds at which even a brief lapse of attention can cause serious injury. Especially in the evening and at night, the risk of accidents rises.
Amphetamine as a stimulant can create a false sense of security: those affected often overestimate their performance while actual control declines. Cannabis can lengthen reaction times and impair attention. Concurrent use of both substances, as both men admitted, intensifies these effects and further increases the danger.
- Both riders admitted consuming cannabis and amphetamine.
- Amphetamine was seized from both; a prohibited one-handed knife was also seized from the 32-year-old.
- A drug rapid test confirmed the suspicion regarding the 30-year-old rider.
- Blood samples were ordered; criminal and regulatory offence proceedings are ongoing.
Legal framework and police practice
Driving under the influence of narcotics is punishable in Germany where fitness to drive is impaired or statutory limits are exceeded. Even possession of small quantities of amphetamine can trigger criminal proceedings under narcotics law. Regulatory offences for missing or expired insurance add further consequences and may result in fines and other measures.
Police traffic stops in the evening hours and at sensitive locations such as Hitchinstraße serve not only to enforce insurance and traffic rules. They are also a tool of everyday narcotics enforcement: anyone who drives under the influence of drugs or carries substances risks discovery, seizure and criminal consequences. Bingen police inspection thereby underlines the importance of road safety and the consistent pursuit of narcotics offences.
In this specific case, the focus was initially on checking the e-scooters and their insurance. The narcotics connection emerged from the behaviour and statements of those stopped and from the substances found during the search. The fact that both men were already known to police, from the investigators’ perspective, underlines the need for repeated checks even of smaller seized quantities.
Seizure and next steps
The residual quantity of amphetamine seized from the 32-year-old and the small quantity of amphetamine from the 30-year-old will be forensically examined and will feed into the respective criminal proceedings. The prohibited one-handed knife is also part of the investigation. The blood samples are intended to clarify which active substances and concentrations were detectable at the time of the stop. On that basis, the public prosecutor’s office and the courts will decide on further measures and possible penalties.
For the public, the incident in Bingen-Büdesheim makes clear that e-scooters are not a legal free-for-all. Compulsory insurance, traffic rules and the ban on driving under the influence of narcotics apply without restriction. Anyone who consumes cannabis or amphetamine and then operates a vehicle must expect checks, tests, seizures and criminal proceedings. Bingen police inspection removed both men from traffic, seized the substances they were carrying and arranged the necessary evidence securing. Investigations into the proceedings that have been opened are continuing.
