The most recent seizure, announced on Tuesday 31 March 2026, involved nearly 88 kilograms of cocaine discovered as part of close cooperation between customs, police and judicial authorities in Luxembourg and France. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, this consignment represented a ‘significant’ quantity intended to supply distribution networks across Europe.
A few days earlier, on 26 March, a consignment from the United States, officially declared as containing decorative cushions, was intercepted. Inspections revealed more than 123 gross kilograms of cannabis concealed within the goods. The final destination was France, where several arrests were made as part of the criminal investigation.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office emphasises that such quantities “clearly exceed the scope of personal or occasional use” and point to the existence of organised networks employing significant logistical, financial and human resources. The estimated value of the cannabis shipment, amounting to approximately €4.4 million at retail price, illustrates the scale of the economic stakes involved in this trafficking.
2025, a record year
These cases are part of a wider trend of rising seizures at the Cargo Centre. In 2025, more than 873 kilograms of cocaine and over two tonnes of cannabis were intercepted there, as criminal organisations re-route their shipments to circumvent tighter controls at major European seaports. The increased use of air freight and secondary logistics hubs is emerging as a key trend.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office points out that drugs seized in Luxembourg are, as a rule, not intended for the domestic market, but for other European countries where they are redistributed. This role as a central logistics hub, combined with excellent international connectivity, makes Findel particularly attractive to criminal networks.
When asked recently about this development, the Minister for Home Affairs, (CSV) highlighted the need to anticipate the shift of these flows to other logistics infrastructure. “We also signed the Antwerp Port Alliance, last year I believe, or perhaps as early as 2024. Several Member States are involved, centred around the major ports. And as we also have the port of Mertert, we decided to sign this agreement.”
The minister highlighted the risk of activity shifting to less exposed locations. “That is why we must be much more vigilant, to prevent these activities from moving to the port of Mertert, Bettembourg, the transport hub, and so on.” He noted that, at this stage, no clear trend had been formally identified, whilst pointing out the scale of recent seizures. “For the moment, we have no clear indication, but we note that we have seized three tonnes of drugs here, in conjunction with customs.”
Essential operational coordination
Léon Gloden also emphasised the importance of operational coordination. “Cooperation between customs and the police is also very important.” Referring to the tactics of criminal organisations, he put forward a cautious hypothesis. “I don’t have any figures to back this up; it’s just a personal feeling, but perhaps certain organisations have been testing our country’s vigilance to see if we were capable of detecting them.”
The minister says that the results achieved serve as a deterrent. “We have demonstrated that we are highly professional and capable of detecting large quantities of drugs. And this work will continue.” With this in mind, checks have been stepped up beyond the airport alone. “That is also why it was important to step up checks at transport hubs and at the port of Mertert, to send a message to potential criminals abroad: do not come to Luxembourg, because we have everything under control.”
These statements form part of a strategy aimed not only at intercepting shipments, but also at deterring criminal organisations from using Luxembourg as a transit point. They also confirm that the authorities are anticipating a possible shift in routes towards other national logistics hubs.
Finally, the Public Prosecutor’s Office points out that drug trafficking is a major driver of organised crime, generating substantial illicit financial flows and fuelling other forms of crime. It emphasises that the presumption of innocence applies to all those arrested in connection with these proceedings.