Police Uncover Drug Ring Using Pizzeria's Popular Pizza 'No. 40'

Police raided a pizzeria that was reportedly delivering cocaine alongside its pizzas, when customers ordered item number 40 on the menu.

And very popular it was too, according to police in Düsseldorf, Germany, who were responsible for the investigation into the cocaine-selling pizzeria in their home city.

"That was one of the bestselling pizzas," criminal director Michael Graf von Moltke told reporters in Düsseldorf.

The saga began in March when food inspectors became suspicious of the establishment's unusual customer traffic.

Stock image a pizza. German police busted a pizzeria in the western city of Düsseldorf that also delivered a side order of cocaine when customers asked for item number 40 on the menu. Press Association via AP

They tipped off the police, who promptly sent in the drug squad to investigate.

What they uncovered was a hive of illicit activity surrounding pizza number 40, which evidently had a little extra "kick" that kept customers coming back for more.

The investigation initially came to a head when officers decided to pay a visit to the pizzeria manager's apartment.

There, they found the 36-year-old allegedly throwing a bag of drugs out of the window, which, according to Düsseldorf police, "fell right into the arms of the police officers."

The bag contained 3.5 pounds of cocaine, 14.1 ounces of cannabis, and 268,000 euros ($290,378) in cash.

Heavily armed special police protecting packages of cocaine during a news conference at police headquarters in Hamburg. Police announced the seizure of 2.1 tons of cocaine in Hamburg-Rothenburgsort, Sept. 27, 2024. In October, around 150... Marcus Brandt/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

After spending a few days in detention, the manager was released and promptly reopened his business and continued to sell the pizza—cocaine side order included.

This provided investigators the opportunity to further examine the supply chain.

Police in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia had already been operating against drug dealers in the state, including in the capital, Düsseldorf.

After several weeks of investigation, around 150 officers dismantled an entire drug ring in western Germany, arresting three suspects, including a 22-year-old identified as the head of the operation.

Police also raided the homes and businesses of 12 additional suspects.

According to a public prosecutor, the main suspect is a Russian man accused of having, in cooperation with other persons, purchased cannabis and cocaine "in kilogram quantities" and sold them to other dealers.

During the raids, officers also discovered two cannabis plantations in nearby Mönchengladbach and Solingen, containing 300 and 60 plants, respectively.

They also seized cutting and stabbing weapons, cash, and expensive watches.

The pizzeria manager's luck finally ran out when he tried to flee abroad, leading to his subsequent arrest.

The man had no previous criminal record.

In accordance with German privacy laws, authorities have not released the names of any suspects involved.

Police have not disclosed how much the pizzeria charged for the special order.

This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press.