German interior minister: More work needed to combat drug trafficking

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said she is in favour of stepping up the fight against international drug trafficking.

"The harbours in the Netherlands, Belgium and France are becoming even more strained by international drug smuggling," Faeser told the Funke Mediengruppe newspaper in an article published on Monday, saying Germany was also affected.

The ports of the northern Germany city of Hamburg in particular are the focus for drug trafficking. "Therefore, I want tougher and more internationally coordinated actions against cocaine and drug trades," said Faeser.

"Above all, it is important to make port employees resistant to corruption. Our authorities must do a better job of informing companies about how drug cartels try to recruit."

Faeser will soon travel to South America "so that our police forces can work together directly and so that we can ensure that mass quantities of drugs do not reach Europe," Faeser said.

"Brazil in particular is a key partner for us in the fight against drug smuggling. I would also like to cooperate with Peru and Colombia."

It is also important to find out which companies or front companies are involved in drug trafficking, as Faeser said "we want to recognize where pressure is being exerted on port workers."

"In the fight against smuggling, we need a security partnership that extends from Peru to Germany."

Faeser added that there will be a conference in Hamburg in May with EU partners and countries from South America "to further discuss how to better protect our ports."