Police and prosecutors in Düsseldorf have dismantled an international drug ring operating in North Rhine‑Westphalia. According to the Bild am Sonntag, the suspects are alleged to have smuggled at least 12 tonnes of cocaine from South America over several years. In the operation, 16 properties were searched and the 34‑year‑old chief accused was arrested. Special units stormed the suspect’s villa in Ratingen, seizing luxury goods worth nearly €800 000, while properties owned by close relatives of the man were confiscated, totaling almost €15 million.