Massive attack
200 officers stormed 17 bars – what investigators found
11/25/2025 – 12:47Reading time: 2 minutes
Major operation on Monday evening: 200 officers searched 17 shisha bars in Hamburg. Even the police chief was also at the location. This discovery is something special.
Police Chief Falk Schnabel personally accompanied a major raid on Hamburg shisha bars on Monday evening. About 200 police officers, along with customs and district offices, searched 17 restaurants across the city. The operation started at around 20.30.
Authorities quickly found what they were looking for: In Wandsbek, investigators seized 20 to 25 kilograms of untaxed tobacco and found a total of four illegal gambling machines. Officers also found defective carbon monoxide warning devices at many of the bars they checked. Four shisha bars must close immediately, including two on Clemens-Schultz-Straße in St. Petersburg. Pauli.
One of the first businesses inspected, the “Reinam” shisha bar on Wilhelmsburger Fährstrasse, attracted attention: Customs seized unpaid tobacco there, which was offered for sale in small containers. Guests are asked to remain seated in their chairs and place their hands on the table.
Police Chief Schnabel explained the operation: “Today, for the first time, we traveled throughout the Hamburg district at the same time. Together with customs, district offices and tax authorities, we specifically checked the flashy shisha bars of the past.”
It’s not about putting all the shisha bars together, Schnabel continued. “But we have individual cases where serious crimes related to organized crime were identified. That’s why we consciously made our presence felt today: We were there and we are watching it closely,” he told “Hamburger Abendblatt”.
The police chief announced further operations: “This will not be the last operation of this kind. We will continue joint checks in the future.” The action continued late into the night. Police want to announce further results later on Tuesday.
