Mayor closes drug apartment and chicken culture in the city!

Mayor closes drug apartment and chicken culture in the city!

The city administration of Stuttgart is once again confronted with alarming incidents related to drug competition. Mayor Margo Mulder has now closed two buildings after serious drug law violations were discovered there. Materials for the production of hard drugs as well as various substances that indicate amfetamine crystallization were found in an apartment on Heiningen. The closure of this apartment will remain in effect for a period of three months, until August 27, 2025. Another building on the Brabant Wal housed an active Hennepkwekerij, although without human residents. This structure will also remain closed until November 27, 2025 to prevent further criminal activity.

The mayor's move follows an expanded framework under Article 13b of the Opium Law, which has been in force since January 1, 2019. This allows mayors to close properties if drug paraphernalia or substances are found in a home. The central goal is to combat organized and undermining crime. The decision to close is based on whether the materials or substances found are intended for drug production or large-scale cultivation of cannabis, reports dirkzwager.nl.

Legal situation and decision-making

In the event of closures, however, the mayors must examine the proportionality of the measures. This is done by weighing up public interests and the impact on the residents of the affected buildings. The decision takes into account, among other things, the type and quantity of drugs as well as previous violations of the law. While tenants' personal guilt is not mandatory, it can influence the proportionality assessment. There is one case in which closure was not justified because the tenant was not responsible for the drugs found, highlighting the complexity of such decisions.

These current measures are part of a larger problem in drug policy that exists not only at the local but also at the international level. The international drug control regime, led by the United Nations, sets strict standards to control drug availability and demand. It proposes to ban psychoactive substances for illegal purposes. Nevertheless, in many Western countries, including Germany, there is a trend towards harm reduction and decriminalization of cannabis, which is leading to political tensions. Countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland have already taken steps towards relaxed drug policies regarding the handling of cannabis.

Global challenges of drug policy

The offensive against drug-related crime is not only a national but also an international challenge. The 1961 Single Convention and subsequent conventions aim to curb illegal drug cultivation and trafficking, but recent developments in drug policy represent a test of these traditional approaches. Despite the introduction of decriminalizing measures in over 30 countries, there is strong resistance and disagreement among states, significantly weighing on the global discussion about the future direction of drug policy. How bpb.de states, a comprehensive change in international drug policy with regard to an adaptable strategy remains unrealistic at the moment.