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Federal police break up counterfeiting ring in Hamburg – four arrests!
Federal police bust counterfeiting ring in Hamburg, arrest four members and search six properties. Investigations since January 2024.
Federal police break up counterfeiting ring in Hamburg – four arrests!
On Thursday morning, June 12, 2025, the federal police in Hamburg carried out a large-scale operation to bust a suspected counterfeiting ring. The aim of the operation was to arrest several gang members, with four people being arrested. The searches took place in various parts of the city, including Billstedt, Osdorf, Steilshoop and Poppenbüttel. A total of six properties were searched on behalf of the public prosecutor's office, with two apartments on Billstedter Steinfeldtstrasse in particular being specifically targeted.
The investigation, which has been running since January 2024, is being led by the Rostock Federal Police Office for Combating Crime. There is suspicion of particularly serious forgery of documents, whereby the group is said to have commercially forged and circulated documents such as passports, ID cards, driving licenses and registration certificates over a long period of time. The aim of these forgeries was apparently to enable people from third countries to enter Germany who need a visa or a residence permit, as NDR reports.
Gang structures and approach
The forgeries appear to have been carried out in an organized manner. The investigators assume there is close cooperation within the gang, which has been active for some time. During the searches, a car was also removed to secure the suspects' assets. This confirms the authorities' assessment that this is a well-structured network that goes beyond simple forgery and operates on a larger scale.
It is planned to evaluate the seized evidence in the near future, with investigators hoping to gain further insight into the structures and members of the counterfeiting ring. Bild.de reports that further information will be provided after the ongoing measures have been completed. The discovery of these illegal activities highlights the challenges associated with combating document forgery and cross-border crime.
Through this operation, the Federal Police is making it clear that it is taking decisive action against the forgery of documents and protecting the legal framework in Germany.