Berlin – A drug dealer places advertisements in public. His contact details are on a sticker stuck to a lantern in the center of Berlin. Plus the offer (including cocaine) and a QR code to scan. And the police? Can barely do anything.
The stickers, which advertise cocaine, as well as ketamine and marijuana, were placed on lanterns in Kastanienallee in the trendy Prenzlauer Berg district. There are thousands here every day Berliners and tourists are traveling.
Anyone who scans the QR code on the sticker will be directed to a WhatsApp, Instagram or Telegram channel that will lead to the dealer’s offer. From there it is difficult to follow up. “The times when consumers had to wander around dark corners to get their goods are over,” an investigator told BILD. “Electronic methods make it even easier for criminals to operate past us.”
Tight limits for police
When asked by BILD, a police spokesperson confirmed that public advertising via stickers is now a citywide phenomenon. However, it is difficult to take action against it. There are strict legal restrictions on fictitious purchases made by undercover investigators. In principle, the police must not incite suspects to commit criminal acts. The court ruled: Police officers are not allowed to apply pressure and force dealers to take action.
However, Berlin police managed to find him in December 2024 Drugs– Arrest the supplier (39) and confiscate ten kilograms of cocaine and 50,000 euros in cash. Coke was offered in large quantities in “Telegram” groups, and investigators apparently took them up on the offer – access!
Dealers display business cards in restaurants
Benjamin Jendro, spokesperson for the police union (GdP): “Today’s drug trafficking takes place in an inclusive mentality, where dealers send customers all the substances they want for free and you no longer have to go to a well-known drug center to get them.”
And further: “We have long seen that business cards with full ‘menus’ are displayed in bars and restaurants and you can order via messenger.”
Officers would write activity reports and criminal complaints, but could do almost nothing to catch the dealers. “Perpetrators are increasingly retreating to cyberspace, minimizing the risk of detection and legal options POLICE“To be able to react is based on the Stone Age.”
