14 arrested in Berlin and Brandenburg raids on suspected drug gang

Police searched 28 addresses in Berlin and Brandenburg at the same time and arrested 14 men aged 25 to 42, according to police and prosecutors. The suspects were due to appear on Friday before an investigating judge at the Tiergarten district court, who will decide on issuing arrest warrants.

Prosecutors have been investigating 20 suspects, aged 19 to 57, for about two years. The alleged gang is accused of stocking so-called bunker apartments in Berlin and Brandenburg, which are flats used to store drugs until they are resold.

The searches covered twelve properties in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, five in Tempelhof-Schöneberg, three in Lichtenberg, two each in Neukölln, Mitte and Pankow, and two in Blankenfelde-Mahlow. They included both the suspects' residences and bunker apartments.

According to a report by Bild, more than 20 kilograms of cocaine and around 100,000 euros in cash were seized. A prosecution spokesman spoke of drug finds of various kinds in the double-digit range and a six-figure sum of money. Weapons and knives were also seized.

Special police units (SEK) took part in the operation. The investigation is continuing. The suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.