Drug discoveries: Coke glut stopped on Sylt beach

For months, packages of cocaine had regularly washed up on Sylt's beaches, but since mid-May, no more finds have been made on the North Sea island. A spokeswoman for the Hamburg Customs Investigation Office told the German Press Agency.

The series began with the first larger finds in the winter – for example, at the beginning of January, a walker discovered packages totaling 25 kilograms of the drug – and continued with mostly smaller quantities. Initially , customs and other agencies increased patrols in the affected regions, but this was later scaled down, the customs spokeswoman reported.

According to authorities, the heavy packages could have originated from a failed transfer at sea. However, it's also possible that dealers had attached the cocaine to the outside of a boat and it was accidentally lost.

Whether further coke packages could land on Sylt's beaches cannot be ruled out. However, the spokeswoman also adds that there is no information available "whether further quantities could even be found in the oceans." And ultimately, ocean currents influence where debris washes up.

The customs spokeswoman could not comment on the current status of the investigation or where the large quantities of drugs might have come from: "We cannot generally provide any information on the origin or possible means of transport or perpetrators involved."

Sylt wasn't the only island affected: Since December 1, 2024, a total of more than 250 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of ten million euros had been discovered on the beaches of the three North Frisian islands of Sylt, Föhr, and Amrum, as well as in Sankt Peter-Ording. This is significantly more than other finds on the holiday islands in the past.

Beachgoers are asked to stay away from washed-up packages or suspicious items and to immediately inform customs or the police. These packages should not be taken away; customs or the police should confiscate them at the location where they are found.

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