A stark warning has been issued by the German Judges Association (DRB) accusing state governments of inadvertently facilitating organized crime through a myopic focus on personnel costs within law enforcement. According to DRB Managing Director Sven Rebehn, Landesregierungen are forfeiting billions of euros in potential state revenue by prioritizing staffing expenses over broader investments in investigative resources.
Rebehn argues that every additional euro invested in increasing the number of investigators specialized in tackling financial and economic crime would ultimately be recouped multiple times over. The current situation, characterized by a nationwide shortage of 2,000 public prosecutors, a backlog of one million pending cases for investigators and the frequent inability to fully investigate complex crimes due to insufficient resources – often leading to plea bargains – actively benefits organized crime.
The DRB’s assessment underscores a systemic vulnerability in Germany’s fight against criminal enterprises. Drug cartels, human traffickers and those involved in economic and financial crimes are reportedly operating with relative ease, exploiting the chronically understaffed and technologically deficient state of law enforcement agencies. Rebehn’s calculations are particularly alarming, suggesting an estimated €100 billion annually is laundered in Germany, with approximately €40 billion pilfered through controversial Cum/Ex and Cum/Cum stock trading schemes. He labeled this as a “misguided approach” urging states to “sharpen the sword of criminal law.
The Federal Government pledged approximately €500 million last summer to support states in creating additional justice system positions and implementing digital modernization efforts. However, this “Pact for the Rule of Law” was recently removed from the agenda of the state premiers’ conference, with several states reportedly expressing reservations regarding funding commitments. This uncertainty further undermines the crucial battle against organized crime, raising questions about the political will to adequately equip Germany’s legal system to confront increasingly sophisticated criminal networks and ultimately recover illicit gains. The DRB’s critique exposes a potentially crippling resource imbalance, demanding a fundamental reassessment of priorities within Germany’s justice infrastructure.