Police in Graz have dismantled an international drug trafficking ring over the past several months, arresting eleven people and seizing several kilograms of narcotics. The arrests were made a week ago during a large-scale operation conducted by investigators together with the Cobra South special police unit. According to the Styria Provincial Police Directorate, the gang had used extreme violence against competitors.
Drug investigators from the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) and the Criminal Division (KR) of the Graz City Police Command had been investigating the group for a long time. The organization is believed to have run its drug trade for years. The main suspects are a 50-year-old Turkish man and a 26-year-old Syrian man, both living in Graz. Along with other suspects—mostly asylum seekers or individuals with subsidiary protection status of various nationalities—they allegedly maintained multiple drug storage sites in several apartments. From these depots, they distributed narcotics illegally within the red-light scene and the restaurant industry. Drug dealing also took place in Graz’s public parks.
Investigators estimate that the group trafficked cannabis in the double-digit kilogram range and at least four kilograms of cocaine. The perpetrators allegedly acted with extreme brutality, using massive violence against potential rivals in the criminal underworld.
Police Conducted Simultaneous Raids At Multiple Locations
Acting on orders from the Graz Public Prosecutor’s Office and supported by investigators from several Styrian districts, the immigration police, and Cobra special forces, officers carried out simultaneous raids on Monday, October 20, at multiple locations. Eleven suspects were arrested, and twelve homes were searched.
The suspects are mostly men between 24 and 52 years old who, according to police, conducted drug deals as their primary source of income, supporting families in their countries of origin. The suspects come from Austria, Syria, Afghanistan, Slovenia, Romania, Turkey, and the Russian Republic of Chechnya. Six are currently held in the Graz-Jakomini prison. Prior to this major operation, police had already made arrests and seized several kilograms of drugs, weapons, and cash. Most of those earlier suspects were also asylum seekers or individuals with subsidiary protection from Syria.
According to police, the investigation is ongoing, with a focus on the Balkan-based drug suppliers. The Graz City Police Criminal Division is also investigating a series of violent crimes, including threats, coercion, intentional serious bodily harm, and violent armed robberies. These incidents are believed to be linked to territorial disputes within the local drug scene.
