Doner bags in prison: pastor for drug trafficking in court!

Doner bags in prison: pastor for drug trafficking in court!

On August 12, 2025, an extraordinary case before the district court of Geilenkirchen will be negotiated. A prisoner from the Heinsberg youth facility is suspected of smuggling drugs in kebab bags. According to stern.de he is charged with no small amount. In total, the pastor had 142.1 grams of hashish in the kebab bags that were handed over to him in a fast food restaurant.

The pastor, who had brought the kebab bags for a group lesson in the youth junction, was checked after he had brought food twice before. During this check it turned out that five out of 13 kebabs were manipulated. In addition to drugs, these also contained small cell phones and chargers. The drug value of the drugs is estimated at over 2,000 euros, which also underlines the severity of the accusation.

unusual drug case with far -reaching consequences

The investigation into this case dragged on over a longer period of time. The origin of the drugs could not be determined, which makes the situation even more complicated. Justice Minister Benjamin Limbach (Greens), who was able to take office in the summer of 2022, sees a serious challenge in this incident. The topic of drugs in prisons is one that has been going on for decades.

The drug problem in correctional facilities has become increasingly important in recent years. The number of drug finds is high annually, with over 1,000 seizures according to the Ministry of Justice. Drug trade and consumption remain central problems in the prison system, such as WDR . The pastor's incident is considered unique and has not triggered the need for a fundamental review of the service within the pastoral care.

fight against the drug problem in prison

The pastor has already been released and was banned from the diocese of Aachen. The punishment that threatens could be at least one year in prison, possibly on probation. Drug abuse and the difficulties to control it are part of the "daily business" in correctional facilities.
Additional measures to combat drug abuse, such as reinforced controls and a special dog squadron for drug detection, have already been introduced, since the problem is also due to the high numbers of addicts to addictive prisoners.

This case not only highlights the individual responsibility of the pastor, but also on the greater challenges with which the prison system is confronted in North Rhine-Westphalia. The public attention that is given to this process is due to the severity of the accusation and the complexity of the drug problem.