Over 2.8 kilogrammes of drugs seized in Berlin prisons in first quarter of 2026
More than 2.8 kilogrammes of narcotics were confiscated in Berlin prisons in the first quarter of 2026. Synthetic cannabinoids were discovered particularly frequently.
Drug seizures in Berlin detention facilities on the rise
More than 2.8 kilogrammes of drugs were seized in Berlin prisons in the first quarter of 2026. This information comes from the Berlin Senate Justice Administration and was provided to the German Press Agency (dpa) upon request.
Synthetic cannabinoids made up the largest share with 1,826.57 grammes — artificially produced psychoactive substances that act similarly to cannabis but are frequently considerably more dangerous. A further 831.95 grammes comprised natural cannabinoids such as marijuana and hashish.
In addition, 89 grammes of cocaine and 1.22 grammes of heroin were confiscated. Also seized were 34.15 grammes of the painkiller buprenorphine, 23.52 grammes of tillidine and 10.40 grammes of amphetamines.
Year-on-year comparison shows a long-term increase: over the course of 2025, more than 11.3 kilogrammes of narcotics were found in Berlin detention facilities, compared with approximately 14.7 kilogrammes in 2024. In 2020, the amount stood at just under 8.5 kilogrammes.
According to the Justice Administration, it remains unclear whether the increased figures indicate an actual rise in smuggling or are attributable to more intensive and effective control measures.
The judicial service has expanded its resources: specially trained sniffer dogs operated by the justice system are deployed in searches within the facilities, supplemented by specialised equipment for trace detection.
Alongside drugs, officials regularly discover mobile phones, charging cables, SIM cards and occasionally e-cigarettes, shisha pipes, tattoo equipment and stabbing weapons during inspections.
Staff are sometimes exposed to considerable risks. In the past year, the Justice Administration recorded 69 assaults by inmates on staff — compared with 45 in the previous year. The majority of incidents occurred at Plötzensee prison (30). Violence among inmates was recorded in 281 cases in 2025, which corresponded to the level of the previous year (282 cases).
Berlin operates seven detention facilities and one juvenile detention facility at 13 locations, with a combined capacity of 4,175 places. According to justice authorities, nearly 8,670 people were in custody in the capital in the past year. Around 2,770 staff members work in these facilities.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)