Raid in Pinneberg: cannabis and gambling evidence
In Pinneberg, police searched residential and business premises on Wednesday morning, 24 June 2026, and secured extensive evidence. In addition to indications of suspected illegal gambling, officers also found narcotics in not insignificant quantities as well as equipment for cultivating and producing drugs. The operation was carried out as part of proceedings by the Special Task Force Narcotics (BAO SuSi) of the Bad Segeberg Police Directorate and focused on a premises in Rübekamp.
Search warrant for illegal gambling
The starting point for the police action was the suspicion that illegal gambling events may have been operated in Pinneberg. At the request of the Itzehoe Public Prosecutor's Office, the Itzehoe District Court issued a search warrant for the premises concerned as well as for the operators' living quarters. Such a judicial order is a prerequisite for interference with the fundamental rights of those affected and underscores the seriousness of the allegations from the perspective of law enforcement authorities.
Illegal gambling without official authorisation is a criminal offence in Germany and is consistently pursued by police and prosecutors. Such investigations are often linked to further offences, such as money laundering or possession and trafficking of narcotics. The Pinneberg search illustrates this pattern: what initially began as an investigation into unauthorised gambling events led to additional finds with a direct link to drug crime.
The Itzehoe Public Prosecutor's Office and the competent district court had examined the legal prerequisites for the operation before officers deployed in the early morning of 24 June. In practice, this means that concrete indications of criminal conduct were present and the search appeared proportionate. For the operators of the premises in Rübekamp, the operation marks the beginning of a more intensive criminal review of their business activities.
Joint operation by several authorities in Pinneberg
The search was conducted as a joint operation. Those involved included Division 3 of the Pinneberg Criminal Investigation Department, the hotspot unit of Pinneberg Police Station and the municipal public order service of the city of Pinneberg. In the early morning hours of 24 June, officers searched a premises in Rübekamp attributed to the operators. The operators were suspected of having conducted illegal gambling events on the premises.
Close cooperation between criminal police, local station officers and the municipal public order service is common in complex operations in urban centres. While the criminal investigation department advances the criminal prosecution, the hotspot unit supports local presence and securing of the scene. The city's public order service brings additional knowledge of local conditions. This coordinated approach is intended to ensure that evidence is properly secured and the public is not unnecessarily burdened.
Pinneberg is located in the Pinneberg district in Schleswig-Holstein and falls under the jurisdiction of the Bad Segeberg Police Directorate. Within this directorate, BAO SuSi is responsible for investigations in the field of narcotics crime and regularly cooperates with local criminal investigation units. The operation in Rübekamp illustrates that networked police structures also take action against organised crime in smaller towns in the region.
Finds in premises and living quarters
During the search, officers secured various items of evidence that may be linked to the suspicion of illegal gambling. In addition, officers discovered cannabis in a total quantity that is not insignificant. In German criminal law practice, the term "not insignificant quantity" for narcotics marks a relevant threshold beyond which a serious offence is assumed and mere personal use is no longer considered.
Officers also found equipment for cultivating and producing narcotics. Such items are regarded by experts as indicating organised preparation or conduct of drug production. Cash was also seized that police believe may have originated from illegal activities. The combination of gambling allegations, drug finds and suspected illegal proceeds strengthens the suspicion of networked criminal activity by the operators.
- Search of a premises in Rübekamp, Pinneberg
- Securing of evidence related to illegal gambling
- Discovery of cannabis in not insignificant quantity
- Equipment for cultivating and producing narcotics
- Seizure of cash suspected of illegal origin
- Involvement of criminal investigation, station and public order service
Criminal proceedings initiated against operators
Corresponding proceedings were initiated against the operators of the premises. They must now answer for the allegations raised. Which specific criminal offences will be examined in addition to illegal gambling follows from the evidence secured and the drug finds. The Itzehoe Public Prosecutor's Office and the responsible police units will further evaluate the evidence and decide on possible charges or further investigative steps.
The BAO SuSi of the Bad Segeberg Police Directorate coordinates investigations in the field of narcotics crime in Schleswig-Holstein. The current case in Pinneberg illustrates that drug enforcement and combating related economic crime such as illegal gambling often overlap. Local hospitality businesses can serve as cover for other illegal activities, which increases the attention of the authorities.
For residents and visitors to the town centre, the operation does not pose an immediate threat. However, in its release the police emphasised that illegal gambling events and drug trafficking can cause significant social harm. The securing of evidence and narcotics is intended to help prevent further offences and hold those responsible to account.
The press release from the Bad Segeberg Police Directorate dated 25 June 2026 bears the reference POL-SE: 20260625.1 and documents the operation for the public. Media enquiries should be directed to the press office of the Bad Segeberg Police Directorate in Bad Segeberg. Press spokesman Maik Seidel is named as contact. The report was distributed via the news aktuell service and originates from the Bad Segeberg Police Directorate.
