Zinger Key Points
- A bag of drugs fell "right into the arms" of police during a raid in Düsseldorf.
- China’s new tariffs just reignited the same market patterns that led to triple- and quadruple-digit wins for Matt Maley. Get the next trade alert free.
One of the best-selling pizzas from a Düsseldorf pizzeria had a special side dish: cocaine. On the menu, the slice was called "pizza No. 40" and was apparently quite popular.
Criminal director Michael Graf von Moltke confirmed to reporters in Düsseldorf that it was one of the best selling pizzas, writes ABC news, citing the German news agency DPA. Von Moltke said cops were first alerted by food inspectors in March, after which they set up surveillance on the shop.
Police officers soon realized why pizza No. 40 was so popular. They went to the apartment of the 36-year-old restaurant operator, who allegedly threw a bag full of illegal substances out the window. The bag containing cocaine, cannabis and 268,000 Euros ($290,378) in cash "fell right into the arms of the police officer," police said.
Get Benzinga's exclusive analysis and the top news about the cannabis industry and markets daily in your inbox for free. Subscribe to our newsletter here. If you're serious about the business, you can't afford to miss out.
The pizzeria manager was detained for several days. Upon release, he reopened his restaurant and went back to serving cocaine pizza. Meanwhile, investigators were keeping an eye on the supply chain and ended up busting the entire ring. Three suspects were arrested, including the 22-year-old leader of the operation. A dozen homes and businesses were also raided.
Authorities continued investigating the supply chain. After several weeks, some 150 officers broke up the entire operation, arrested three suspects, including the 22-year-old capo and raided homes and businesses of another 12 suspects. During the raids, police also discovered two cannabis plantations in nearby Mönchengladbach and Solingen.
Partial cannabis legalization took effect in Germany on April 1. A new report on Germany’s cannabis market by Prohibition Partners revealed that German medical marijuana sales are projected to reach €420 million in 2024 ($260.66 million) reaching €1 billion by 2028.
Read Next:
Photo: Shutterstock
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
Cannabis is evolving—don’t get left behind!
Curious about what’s next for the industry and how to stay ahead in today’s competitive market?
Join top executives, investors, and industry leaders at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago on June 9-10. Dive deep into market-shaping strategies, investment trends, and brand-building insights that will define the future of cannabis.
Secure your spot now before prices go up—this is where the biggest deals and connections happen!