1.5 tonnes of crystal meth found at Hamburg port – record drug seizure in rice sacks
Customs and police secured approximately 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine at Hamburg port in early May. The drug was concealed in hundreds of rice sacks from Pakistan.
Record drug seizure at Hamburg port: crystal meth disguised in rice sacks
Customs and police seized approximately 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine at Hamburg port in early May – one of the largest crystal meth discoveries ever made there. According to BILD, the drug was hidden in a shipping container which, according to cargo documents, was supposed to contain thousands of sacks of white rice from Pakistan.
Drug investigators had targeted several containers that had arrived by sea from Pakistan. An X-ray inspection flagged one of the containers and revealed clear irregularities. Investigators then opened the shipment and completely unloaded the container.
In hundreds of supposedly rice sacks, police discovered a crystalline substance that was barely distinguishable from rice grains with the naked eye. A rapid test and subsequent toxicological examination confirmed the suspicion: the discovery consisted of methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth. The estimated street value of the seized drugs amounts to approximately 28.5 million euros.
Crystal meth is regarded as a particularly dangerous substance with high addiction potential. It remains unclear who was behind the smuggling attempt. Senior prosecutor Melina Traumann told BILD: "There is no evidence that the seized drugs were intended for the Hamburg market." The public prosecutor's office left open whether and in which direction the drugs were to be transported onwards.
The discovery was uncovered by the joint narcotics investigation unit of the State Criminal Police Office and the Customs Investigation Office Hamburg.
Source: BILD