Drug Ring in Styria Busted by Police

Kilograms of drugs, firearms and knives, as well as around 100,000 euros in cash were seized. The perpetrators acted brutally against debtors and also against their own people for intimidation and punishment, investigators said on Wednesday in Graz. 42 suspects were identified and arrested, including the main perpetrators.

The investigations had been ongoing for several years, with arrests made in various European countries such as Spain and the Czech Republic. There have also been convictions, reported police officers from the narcotics division in the Styrian State Criminal Police Office and from investigation groups in Upper Styria. The drug ring had been active since at least 2019, with investigations conducted since 2022.

42 Suspects Caught in the Eastern Upper Styria Area

In total, 42 suspects were caught over the years in the eastern Upper Styria area. The main suspects were individuals from the Balkan region, as well as from Chechnya, Syria, and Morocco, but also Austrian nationals. During various raids, around 11.5 kilograms of cocaine, 80 kilograms of THC-laden cannabis, 10 kilograms of cannabis resin, and around 250 grams of amphetamine were seized. Substances like magnesium powder for cutting cocaine were also found. Cash amounting to around 95,000 euros was confiscated. The weapons included swords, axes, brass knuckles, pistols, and revolvers, as well as semi-automatic assault rifles and a large amount of ammunition.

The main perpetrators had been importing narcotics in the form of THC-laden cannabis and cocaine, amounting to several hundred kilograms (at least 1,550 kilograms of THC-laden cannabis in a period of just seven months, note) from the Balkan region and Spain to Austria since at least 2019. The drugs arrived in Austria on tour buses or trucks, sometimes in batches of up to 80 kilos in suitcases. The drugs were stored in apartments rented via AirBnB or in high-class hotels and passed on in large batches to sub-dealers.

The perpetrators were characterized by a high propensity for violence. Almost every gang member was armed, some with firearms. "Problem bears" within their own ranks - as an investigator put it - were sometimes imprisoned and tortured, even minor "offenses" were punished. For example, a runner (a lower-level dealer, note) fetched cigarettes and did not ask the present boss if he wanted any. As a result, the man was stabbed and tortured with a nail scissors and a knife. "This did not happen far from Austria, but in the Murtal district, in an apartment," an investigator described. The bosses also had humiliation rituals filmed, which circulated in the dealers' messenger groups as a deterrent.

Unlocked Pistol in Mailbox

In addition to drug offenses, there was "the whole range of criminal offenses, such as coercion, bodily harm, mistreatment up to torture methods and deprivation of liberty. The victims - partly their own people, partly debtors from drug deals with outstanding amounts of only around 50 euros - were severely mistreated, beaten with the butts of firearms. When a drug bunker was once cleared out by an unknown person, the drug bosses made their subordinates pay thousands of euros in "compensation" under threats. The tight structure is almost celebrated, said an investigator, who also reported an increasing danger for police officers and members of the judiciary emanating from the gangs. A dealer had hidden an unlocked pistol in the mailbox to be able to shoot immediately. In such cases, the Cobra special police officers are brought in.

Work was done like in a corporate structure, with precise division of tasks. When one of the main perpetrators was arrested, his wife continued the "business." Women were also used as "secretaries" and "travel organizers." They booked flights and accommodations with false documents. Communication was done via messenger services - which is why surveillance options would be needed here.

"Far Too Many Drugs in Circulation"

The last arrest took place on June 17 of this year. The perpetrators were aged between 16 and 34 years. Their residency status ranged from illegal, convention refugee, subsidiary protection to EU citizenship. The vacuum created by the arrest quickly fills up again. "The market is there, they are already ready. And there are far too many drugs in circulation, the supply exceeds the demand," said an investigator and an investigator.

Cocaine is very much in vogue, heroin less so. And it is probably only a matter of time before substances like fentanyl or similar appear, it was said. The customer structure spans all layers of the population, said the investigator. "The youngest consumer I came across in my investigations is 13 years old," reported an investigator from Upper Styria. The monitoring of wastewater by various wastewater disposal associations indicates enormous consumed quantities - not only in the big cities, but also in the districts.

(APA/Red)

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