A string of violent incidents unfolded in Frankfurt-Höchst and Frankfurt-Sossenheim, with tensions between two multinational criminal organizations reaching a boiling point.
Originating from a street gang in Frankfurt-Sossenheim, the first group had been engaging in a bloody battle with an extended Turkish family, S., who officially managed kiosks and restaurants. Police claim the conflict revolved around large-scale drug dealing and illegal gambling, with both sides vying for dominance.
The primary confrontation took place on January 29, 2021, when 37 individuals drove towards a kiosk owned by the S. family. Intending to damage the kiosk and attack the workers, they fired weapons and assaulted the employees. The attack was thwarted as the employees locked the door in time, resulting in only one minor injury.
The following fall, six members of the Sossenheim gang stood trial. Among them was a former "Hell's Angel" named Nils Christian H., who had previously been sentenced to nine years for manslaughter. In this instance, he received a sentence of three years and nine months for breach of the peace.
Despite the convictions, the feud between the two groups persisted, resulting in repeated attacks on both sides. Attempts to pacify the conflict through a Special Operations Command (Soko) were unsuccessful.
The bloodshed reached a new height on April 28, 2023, when a robbery at the Skyline Plaza shopping center unfolded at 10:15 pm. Three perpetrators approached a kiosk owner, pushing and kicking him against a sales counter while using irritant gas against him. They also attacked the victim with a shelf of merchandise, resulting in severe injuries.
Later that same night, an arson attack was carried out on a supermarket owned by the S. family in Sossenheim.
Police describe the first perpetrator as around 1.80 to 1.95 meters tall, athletic, in his early 20s to mid-30s. He wore jeans, a black sweater, a black mask, white gloves, a necklace, and pink and black Nike sneakers with black and white soles. Notably, he pulled out a pistol during the crime.
The second perpetrator is described similarly but was dressed completely in black, with a Nike sweater. He was responsible for assaulting the kiosk owner.
The third perpetrator was about five centimeters shorter than his accomplices, corpulent, and dressed entirely in black.
The Frankfurt CID is seeking information about the identities of these individuals, requesting assistance from the public.
The tense situation continued with additional skirmishes in May and July. A moving car was shot at in Niederrad, and a betting shop in Nordend was attacked, resulting in at least one injury.
Despite law enforcement efforts, the confrontations between the two groups continued, highlighting the complexities and ongoing nature of organized crime in Frankfurt-Höchst and Frankfurt-Sossenheim.
