Berlin is grappling with a wave of violence from new gangs originating from Turkey. These groups, specializing in contract killings, arms and drug trafficking, are brazenly operating in the German capital, shooting at establishments and homes, and detonating grenades. The Landeskriminalamt (LKA) has been alarmed since last year by the escalation of conflicts between criminal groups, who publicly boast about their deeds online.
Escalation of gang violence
Attacks are occurring in various districts of Berlin, such as Kreuzberg. Shots are being fired at bar windows, restaurant doors, and private homes, and in one case, a hand grenade was detonated in a nightclub.
Criminal activities
The gangs are primarily engaged in contract killings, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling. Their activities, which originated in Turkey, have spread to Berlin, where they are fighting for territorial influence.
Law enforcement response
The Landeskriminalamt (LKA) in Berlin, the state criminal police office, has been seriously concerned about the situation since last year. The criminals are operating with great publicity, unabashedly posting content online, posing a challenge for investigators.
Victims and targets of attacks
Victims include not only buildings but also people who suffer gunshot wounds. The targets are precise – one of them was the home of a wealthy representative of the Turkish-Kurdish scene in the city.
The German capital, Berlin, has become the arena for brutal clashes between new criminal gangs originating from Turkey. These groups, specializing in contract killings, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling, are boldly competing for turf, resorting to extreme violence. Attacks occur in various parts of the city, including the Kreuzberg district. The criminals are not just firing shots into the air – bullets are hitting bar windows, restaurant doors, and private homes. In one incident, late in the evening, a hand grenade was detonated in an empty nightclub. People are also becoming victims, suffering gunshot wounds. Problems with organized crime in Germany, often linked to immigrant groups, are not new. In the 1990s and early 2000s, media reported on the activities of gangs from the former Yugoslavia or Lebanon. The Turkish criminal milieu in Germany has a long history, but the current wave is characterized by a new, more brazen and digitalized form of operation. One precise target was the home of a wealthy representative of the Turkish-Kurdish scene in Berlin, suggesting the conflicts may have ethnic or business underpinnings. The Landeskriminalamt (LKA), the state criminal police office responsible for combating serious crime, has been alarmed by the situation since last year. A novelty in these gangs' operations is their openness on the internet. Group members do not hide but boast about their deeds and online presence, posing a new challenge for investigators accustomed to more covert mafia activities. „Sie begehen Auftragsmorde, schmuggeln Waffen und Drogen und zeigen sich ungeniert im Internet.” (They commit contract killings, smuggle weapons and drugs, and show themselves unabashedly on the internet.) — Der Tagesspiegel This brazenness underscores their confidence and disregard for law enforcement. The turf wars (Revierkämpfe) indicate a dynamic process of consolidation and division of the illegal goods market in the city. The situation requires a coordinated response from German authorities, and possibly also international cooperation with Turkish counterparts, to cut off sources of financing, weapons supply, and recruitment of new members.Liberal media may emphasize systemic causes of the problem, such as the social exclusion of parts of the immigrant community that fuels crime, and call for integration policies. | Conservative media may focus on the failure of migration and domestic security policies, calling for decisive deportations and stricter laws.