As our Paperjam colleagues report, 717 police checks and 27 arrests linked to narcotics were made over the past five weeks, bringing the 2019 total arrests to 151, over half of which took place in the capital region. 

A draft law is currently underway concerning the police monitoring system and, according to Bausch, there are plans over the next three years to onboard another 900 individuals minimum to the force.

Bausch’s opinion is that agents in the field are more effective than being in stations, but he added that the situation is “a European problem”.

In September, Bausch drew criticism from local expats after he said the “Nigerian mafia” was the reason behind the Gare district’s illicit activity.