Drug ring broken up

Dealer took four-year-old on smuggling trips

A 39-year-old is alleged to have trafficked drugs for over four years.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

Investigators in Upper Austria have managed to strike a blow against a drug ring with a total of six arrests. Particularly perfidious: some of the dealers are said to have taken their four-year-old son with them on their smuggling trips as a cover-up. Large quantities of drugs are involved.

One of the main suspects is a 39-year-old Romanian from the Vöcklabruck district. He has allegedly been selling drugs on a large scale since 2020. According to the police, more than 8.5 kilos of herbal cannabis, 234 grams of amphetamine, 20 grams of cannabis resin and 17 grams of cocaine were found on him.

Small child on smuggling trips
He is said to have obtained the drugs mainly from the Czech Republic, as did his wife (26) and another Romanian (31). They are said to have taken their four-year-old son with them on smuggling trips so as not to attract attention during checks. Investigators suspect the group of having imported at least twelve kilos of marijuana to Austria in this way.

The Czech drug supplier and a 30-year-old Hungarian from Linz have also been identified. They are accused of having sold drugs to the 39-year-old.

Arrested while dealing
In March, two of the dealers involved were caught red-handed and arrested when the 30-year-old and the 39-year-old were dealing drugs in Timelkam. During searches, investigators found various narcotics and large amounts of cash. The 39-year-old Romanian is also alleged to have operated two cannabis cultivation facilities.

Six arrests
In the course of the investigation, the police arrested a total of six people on suspicion of commercial drug trafficking, four of whom are in custody. The 39-year-old is also facing other legal troubles: he is alleged to have unlawfully received social benefits and has therefore also been charged with serious fraud.