Raid in Stade: 14 properties searched, cocaine seized
In Stade and several surrounding towns, police and the public prosecutor's office have delivered a major blow against organized drug trafficking. More than 100 officers simultaneously searched 14 properties in the evening as part of proceedings targeting an alleged cocaine group that have been running since last autumn. Two men were arrested and are now in pretrial detention.
The joint press release from the Stade Police Inspectorate and the Stade Public Prosecutor's Office makes clear that this was a long-planned and coordinated operation. The Central Criminal Investigation Unit of the Stade Police Inspectorate has been conducting the investigation for months in close coordination with prosecutors. Officers from the Bremervörde police commissariat are supporting the inquiry.
Investigation targeting four suspects in northern Lower Saxony
At the core of the investigation are four men aged between 21 and 44. They come from the districts of Stade, Rotenburg, Lüchow/Dannenberg and Cuxhaven and are suspected of jointly selling significant quantities of cocaine in the region. According to the current state of the investigation, the group is accused of trading at least around 34 kilograms of cocaine, with at least roughly four kilograms reportedly sold each month.
The case of the main suspect is particularly serious: he is alleged to have organized the cocaine trade while serving a prison sentence imposed against him in 2022 for drug trafficking under open prison conditions. For investigators, this underscores that this was not a minor offense but a structured business model that apparently continued despite ongoing punishment.
Large-scale raid at 14 properties with more than 100 officers
Yesterday evening between 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., police rolled out their operation. More than 100 officers from various units took part. Support came from riot police, the mobile task force and dog handlers from the Lüneburg Police Directorate. The simultaneous search of numerous properties required precise planning and points to a broadly structured suspected network.
Searches in Stade, Zeven, Lehrte and other locations
The 14 searched properties were spread across several locations in Lower Saxony. Among the areas affected were Stade, Zeven, Lehrte, the Lüchow-Dannenberg region as well as Hechthausen and Hammah. The geographic spread of the operation sites matches the districts of origin of the suspects and suggests the group operated across multiple locations. During the searches, people, properties and vehicles were examined.
Police described the operation as a targeted strike against organized drug trafficking. The deployment was not limited to a single apartment or suspect but apparently aimed to hit the entire infrastructure of the alleged group at once and secure evidence before information could be exchanged among those involved.
The six-hour evening operation suggests a carefully timed deployment. In addition to riot police and the mobile task force, detection dogs were also used to locate hidden narcotics. The involvement of the Lüneburg Police Directorate underscores the cross-regional nature of the operation.
Seized drugs, cash and gold jewelry
During the searches, officers secured various items of evidence and assets. In addition to significant quantities of narcotics, data storage devices were also found that are likely to be important for further investigations. The seized drugs and valuables provide a first insight into the suspected business of those involved.
- approximately 310 grams of cocaine
- approximately 400 grams of marijuana
- approximately 80 ecstasy tablets
- approximately 67,500 euros in cash
- various gold jewelry
The seized narcotics match the investigators' allegations that the group was primarily active in cocaine trafficking. The five-figure amount of cash and the gold jewelry also suggest the suspects may have generated substantial proceeds from their business. The data storage devices will now be analyzed to identify further contacts, communication channels and possible additional participants.
Two arrests and pretrial detention
Following the searches, officers provisionally arrested two suspects. The men, aged 21 and 35, were taken into police custody at the Stade Police Inspectorate. At the request of the Stade Public Prosecutor's Office, they were brought before the detention judge at the Stade District Court on Tuesday evening.
After the hearing, the judge issued two pretrial detention orders. Both suspects were subsequently taken by police to a Lower Saxony correctional facility. Pretrial detention signals that prosecutors see a risk of flight or tampering with evidence and classify the allegations as serious. The other suspects in the case were not affected according to the available report; however, investigations against them are likely to continue.
Clan-related proceedings and ongoing investigation
The press release explicitly places the case within clan-related proceedings. In doing so, the public prosecutor's office links the drug investigation to the field of organized crime and possibly family- or group-based structures. For authorities in Stade and the surrounding area, the operation marks clear progress in proceedings that have been running since last autumn and target several suspects across multiple districts.
Questions about the case should be directed to the Stade Public Prosecutor's Office under lead prosecutor Julia Lüth or to the press office of the Stade Police Inspectorate under Rainer Bohmbach. Further arrests, searches or indictment steps cannot be ruled out given the seized evidence and ongoing analysis.
