July 18, 2026, 09:29July 18, 2026, 09:29
The Luxembourg airport is increasingly being used by criminal networks as a transshipment point for international drug transactions: Since 2025, “a noticeable increase has been observed in both the number of shipments and the quantities seized,” said the Luxembourg police. Previously there had only been isolated cases.
The airport in Luxembourg serves primarily as a transit point.Image: www.imago-images.de
Last year, customs and police intercepted, among other things, almost 2.3 tons of marijuana, a good 870 kilos of cocaine, around 108 kilos of hashish and almost 74 kilos of methamphetamine in the airport’s cargo center.
The discovery of 500 kilos of cocaine in an air shipment from Brazil, which had been hidden in tons of cornstarch, was spectacular. The value of the drugs confiscated was estimated at around 100 million euros.
This spring, customs officers discovered around 90 kilos of the synthetic drug methamphetamine – hidden in an oven. The substances came from South America and the resale value was estimated at one million euros.
Drugs not for the Luxembourg market
Cocaine shipments mainly came from South America, cannabis products occasionally also came from Central and North America. The police said that the drugs seized were generally not intended for the Luxembourg market, but rather for recipients in other European countries.
“Luxembourg primarily serves as a transit point.” Findings showed that Luxembourg was specifically used as a transshipment point. Despite an increase in cases and quantities, there is no evidence that Luxembourg is developing into a leading European hub for international drug trafficking.
The Luxembourg authorities have continuously adapted and strengthened their control and investigative measures, it said. Customs controls freight traffic strictly and systematically. By analyzing freight documents and checking suspicious shipments, violations would be detected at an early stage.
There have already been “significant investigative successes”
According to the police, if anything is found, the authorities of the countries for which the shipments are intended are immediately informed. International cooperation has already led to “significant investigative successes”: recipients are identified and criminal networks are weakened or dismantled.
Luxembourg Airport is one of the most important air cargo hubs in Europe and has a global route network. Such locations are potentially attractive to criminal organizations, the police said. It was said that they tried to abuse existing trade and transport structures for their own purposes. (hkl/sda/dpa)