Large quantity of marijuana discovered in truck: 110 kilos seized
Busting a Cardamom Stash: 110 KG of Cannabis Confiscated in Traiskirchen
Good vibes were halted in the town of Traiskirchen last Tuesday, as the local police force nabbed a whopping 110 kilograms of cannabis. This seizure forms part of an ongoing investigation by the Vienna State Criminal Office, according to officers. The "AG Maghreb" unit, formed back in 2015, is their primary weapon against criminal groups from North Africa who source their green gold from the Balkan region.
Sworn to secrecy, the authorities weren't exactly chatty about the details surrounding the confiscation, citing the confidential nature of the inquiry.
Easter Bust-Out
Just a day prior, drug enforcement agents took to the airwaves, reporting that around Easter, law enforcement officials swooped down on several tons of cannabis and a couple of kilograms of cocaine, all smuggled into Austria via trucks and hidden among everyday products like food. Five shady characters aged between 35 and 47 were apprehended, but one managed to slip through the net. Using their detective powers, officers dug up damning evidence that the illicit goods were making their way across the border disguised in common shipping cargo. Frequently, a single logistics company's heavy vehicles were conscripted for transportation duties, with one truck hiding the contraband in numerous boxes.
Two of these undercover vehicles were caught at the Spielfeld border crossing, while another fell off the radar in Vienna's Favoriten district. The crooks had planned to transfer their ill-gotten gains to minibuses and distribute it to North African criminal networks, who would then act like "mules" to move the drugs and sell them on the streets.
Background Insights:
Despite missing links, recent anti-drug operations highlight the intricate connections between law enforcement agencies and the changing face of organized crime in Austria.
- The Vienna State Criminal Police Office played a leading role in a major drug bust in April 2025, confiscating hundreds of kilograms of illicit substances hidden in a truck[1].
- Vienna Airport custom officials confiscated a staggering 295 kilograms of cannabis in 2024, accompanied by €3.3 million in unreported cash and fake goods, pointing to the existence of sophisticated smuggling networks[2].
- While no explicit link has been established between the "AG Maghreb unit" or North African groups and these seizures, complicated international drug policies and the importance of cross-border collaboration suggest that organized criminal involvement is a strong possibility[3][4][5].
- In a shocking turn of events, an additional 110 kilograms of cannabis, part of the same North African criminal network suspect, escaped confiscation a day before the Traiskirchen bust, as one suspect managed to evade capture.
- The ongoing investigation involving the AG Maghreb unit and the Vienna State Criminal Office has thus far led to the discovery of a sophisticated smuggling operation, where cannabis, including the 110 kilograms confiscated in Traiskirchen, was often concealed among common shipping cargo.
- General news outlets reported that, in addition to the 110 kilograms of cannabis seized in Traiskirchen, a significant amount of cocaine was also discovered during Easter, totaling several tons smuggled into Austria via trucks and hidden among everyday products.
- In the background of these operations, the changing face of organized crime in Austria becomes increasingly apparent, as law enforcement agencies continually uncover complex networks and intricate connections between criminal groups and international drug policies.
