German police made a surprising discovery during a raid on a pizzeria in Düsseldorf, centered on a particular menu item, “number 40.” Criminal director Michael Graf von Moltke explained that authorities were first alerted in March by food inspectors who noticed suspicious activity.
On October 21, von Moltke told reporters that drug squad officers had been monitoring the restaurant since then, uncovering the reason behind the popularity of one specific pizza, as reported by the German news agency dpa.
This unusual crime story, which almost seems fictional, became reality when police raided the pizzeria and caught those involved.
When officers arrived at the pizzeria manager’s apartment, he tried to throw a bag of drugs out the window, only for it to fall into the hands of waiting officers. It was discovered that the restaurant owner was serving pizza number 40 with an unexpected extra—cocaine instead of a typical garlic dip.
The 36-year-old manager was briefly detained but released a few days later. He reopened the pizzeria and resumed selling the popular “special” item.
Police found 1.6 kg of cocaine, 400 grams of cannabis, and €268,000 (around $290,378) in cash. Rather than arrest him immediately, authorities used the opportunity to investigate his broader network. This led to a major drug bust involving around 150 officers in western Germany, including Düsseldorf.
Three suspects, including a 22-year-old leader of the operation, were arrested. Raids were also conducted on the homes and businesses of 12 other suspects, leading to the discovery of two cannabis plantations in Mönchengladbach and Solingen, containing 300 and 60 plants respectively. Police also seized knives, cash, and luxury watches.
After these raids, the pizzeria manager attempted to flee abroad but was caught and is now in custody. Due to Germany’s privacy laws, the names of the suspects have not been released, and the police have not disclosed the price of the pizzeria’s “special order.”