German police arrested 27 people and searched 27 properties on Tuesday morning in a large-scale operation targeting a major illegal cannabis network near Luxembourg. About 900 officers were deployed across Rhineland-Palatinate – which borders Luxembourg – as well as North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse.
Twelve of the raided sites were large indoor cannabis plantations in towns including Mannebach, Bendorf, Weibern, Gummersbach, Hückelhoven, Troisdorf, Werne, Euskirchen, Windeck, and Villmar.
The operation follows months of undercover work by the Wittlich criminal police and an investigation led by the Trier police headquarters and public prosecutor’s office since November 2024. The gang is accused of running large-scale illegal cannabis farms and a profitable black market trade.
Police have not yet disclosed how much cannabis was seized or what other evidence was collected, saying searches and dismantling are still ongoing.
Of the 27 arrested, 13 suspects aged 20 to 38 are already facing pre-trial detention warrants and will appear before investigating judges in Trier. Fourteen other people, reportedly working as gardeners at the plantations, were also provisionally detained and will face local judges.
