Cocaine discoveries on Sylt beaches: peace after the coke glut!

Cocaine discoveries on Sylt beaches: peace after the coke glut!

What is happening on the beaches of Sylt? Since winter 2024, beach visitors have repeatedly discovered packages of cocaine. The series of discoveries began in January 2025 when a walker found an impressive 25 kilograms of cocaine on the bank. The North Sea is diverse and exciting, but the joy over the find was limited because the police and customs were quickly on the scene.

Since mid-May 2025, however, things have calmed down as no new discoveries have been reported. She has that Hamburg customs investigation office confirmed. The authorities initially increased patrols, but these have now been reduced. Interestingly, the packages could have come from failed drug transfers at sea or simply been lost by dealers. The ocean current ultimately decides where the flotsam goes.

Cocaine discoveries in the region

But Sylt was not the only one affected. Over 250 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of over ten million euros were also found on the beaches of Föhr, Amrum and Sankt Peter-Ording. The first discoveries were made as early as December 5, 2024 NDR reported. The origin of the packages is still unclear. It is believed that they were attached to a ship and then lost or intentionally thrown into the sea.

The investigation is being conducted under the direction of the Hamburg Customs Investigation Office, which is acting on behalf of the Flensburg public prosecutor's office. In the days following the discoveries, calls were made to stay away from suspicious items and to let authorities know if new packages were discovered. So the situation is tense because any discovery could be potentially dangerous.

Larger dimensions

The finds on the North Sea should not be viewed in isolation. Germany has experienced a real increase in drug smuggling cases in its seaports in recent years. The customs authorities confiscated almost ten tons of cocaine in Hamburg alone, while more than four tons were seized in Bremerhaven. This shows that the North Sea is an important transit point for drugs from South America, as well Deutschlandfunk explained.

A port alliance against drug trafficking and organized crime will soon be founded in Belgium in order to take greater action against the flourishing drug trade here too. With around 180 tonnes of cocaine seized in Belgium and the Netherlands last year, it is clear how high the risk is that such substances will continue to appear on our beaches.

For beach visitors this means: Open your eyes! If you discover something suspicious that doesn't fit the image of a relaxing walk on the beach, it's better to report it to the police or customs straight away. Because even if the holiday paradise seems tempting, it can quickly take an unexpected turn.