Duisburg's Gaming Prohibition Bust! 🚨
Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia - The police, citizens' office, public order office, main customs office, and tax investigators teamed up on a Saturday evening for an unprecedented crackdown on illegal gambling and clan crime in Duisburg. Results are rolling in!
The first property on Schlachthofstraße turned out to be a hot spot for unauthorized activities. Officers stumbled upon an illicit pub nestled within a storage room - complete with three unlicensed gaming machines. Sixteen unlicensed business owners operated the establishment, with a noticeable pungent aroma of weed in the air. A trio of "guests" were detected and the drugs and gaming machines were confiscated.
An identical scenario unfolded on Baustraße, where an illegal gambling machine and an abundance of alcoholic beverages were discovered, despite lacking the necessary hospitality license.
The action continues! On Dieselstrasse, a total of 18 individuals and two vending machines were found in violation of gambling regulations. The emergency exit was blocked, and one suspect was even flagged for suspected unauthorized employment.
Highlights from the Raid
- The massive operation against illegal gambling and clan crime in Duisburg led to 18 individuals facing a multitude of criminal charges.
- Shocking revelations uncovered an illicit pub operating out of a storage room on Schlachthofstraße, with three unlicensed slot machines and a strong marijuana scent.
- Additional discoveries were made on Baustraße, where an illegal gambling machine and numerous alcoholic beverages were found despite the lack of hospitality permits.
- In another instance, the police found two slot machines operating illegally and a waitress suspected of illegal employment during their raid on a property on Dieselstrasse.
Sources:
Enrichment Insights
- The Duisburg crackdown was part of a broader international crackdown on the ‘Ndrangheta mafia.
- With significant operations in Germany, the ‘Ndrangheta engages in activities like money laundering, drug trafficking, and racketeering.
- The conflict between two 'Ndrangheta clans in Calabria, Italy, had escalated, leading to violent incidents in Germany, including the shooting of six men in front of an Italian restaurant in Duisburg in 2007.
- German authorities launched an investigation and raid to seize illegal devices and disrupt the 'Ndrangheta network's operations in 2007.
- In 2023, a coordinated probe involving investigators from multiple countries disrupted the 'Ndrangheta's cocaine smuggling and money laundering operations and encrypted communication services. The operation resulted in numerous arrests and legal proceedings.
- Over 200 people were convicted in the largest mafia trial for three decades in 2023, dealing a significant blow to the organization’s activities in Europe.
