Explosion in the Cologne restaurant: Drug war reaches new dimension!

Explosion in the Cologne restaurant: Drug war reaches new dimension!

On the night of June 19, 2025, a restaurant in Cologne was rocked by a violent explosion. The force of the detonation not only blew out the windows, but also threw chairs in front of the restaurant. Fortunately, there were no guests in the restaurant at the time, so there were no injuries. The Cologne public prosecutor's office and the police immediately launched an investigation and called on the public to report information about the explosion and two men who fled shortly after the incident. It remains unclear whether these men are suspects or witnesses, as the authorities have not yet commented on the background.

As WDR reports, the restaurant in question belongs to the father of a suspected drug gang boss. This connection has another dark background: last summer, the gang, which is apparently active in the drug trade, carried out a significant robbery of 350 kilos of cannabis. This theft had far-reaching consequences, reflected in torture, kidnappings and further explosions.

Organized crime in the Rhineland

This explosion is part of a larger, alarming trend in the Rhineland and Ruhr area, where drug gangs are becoming increasingly brazen. Three men are currently on trial in the Cologne regional court who are accused of explosions, the robbery of 700 kilograms of marijuana and hostage-taking. A central perpetrator, Aymen G., a 22-year-old German-Algerian, was involved in a particularly brutal robbery in which opponents were tied up and mistreated. The court hearings have already begun and security measures have been significantly increased to cope with the tense situation. The [ZDF](https://www.zdfheute.de/panorama/ criminalitaet/process-drogenkrieg-koeln-cannabis-100.html) emphasizes that this is a series of incidents that are unsettling the population.

The background to this growing crime can also be seen in the definition of organized crime: a group of people who work together over a long period of time to make a profit. In 2023, there were 642 investigations in this area in Germany, with around 41% being related to drug trafficking. The structures used are particularly dangerous - they are often commercially organized activities in which violence and intimidation are used.

The influence from abroad and new recruitments

What is particularly interesting is the growing influence from abroad, particularly through young men from the Netherlands who are being recruited as henchmen for the drug gangs. This is also reflected in the diversity of suspects. According to Statista, there are around 7,350 registered suspects in Germany, of which around 2,390 are German citizens and almost 4,960 people of other nationalities. German citizens are primarily active in drug trafficking crimes, followed by Albanians and Turks.

The danger posed by organized crime is omnipresent and requires decisive action from the police and judiciary. The confrontation between drug gangs and state institutions is likely to continue to escalate as security authorities make every effort to restore public order and prevent future incidents.