Customs dogs sniff out cocaine hidden in lollipops at Düsseldorf Airport

At the center of the incident is the dog named Jerry Lee, who, according to the report, had the decisive nose. Jerry Lee belongs to the service of the Hauptzollamt Düsseldorf (Main Customs Office Düsseldorf), which is responsible for controls at the airport. The Customs Investigation Office in Essen took over further investigations after the discovery.

Investigations and Origin

Initial investigations indicated, according to WDR, that the lollipops came from Brazil and were en route to Lisbon. Whether this was an isolated case or part of a larger smuggling operation was initially unclear. The authorities also provided no information regarding any organized background.

At the time of the incident, according to authorities, only a single person was the focus of the control. Whether this person was arrested or what legal steps were taken was not initially communicated by the Customs Investigation Office or the Main Customs Office. WDR announced it would continue to follow the case.

Role of the Customs Dogs

The discoveries underscore the role of sniffer dogs in drug enforcement operations at German airports. At Düsseldorf Airport, such dogs are regularly deployed; their hit rate is considered one of the reasons for comparatively high clearance figures in NRW air traffic. Other German airports deploy comparable teams as well.

The WDR report was broadcast on August 6, 2026, at 10:22 a.m. The editorial team relied on information from the Customs Investigation Office in Essen and the Main Customs Office in Düsseldorf. The Customs Investigation Office in Essen is a federal authority within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Finance and is responsible for investigation-related tasks in narcotics smuggling.

Legal Consequences

For the coming days, the authorities announced further investigations. The aim is to clarify how large the quantity of seized cocaine was, how the lollipops were packaged, and what exact route the shipment took. The role of possible backers in Brazil and Portugal is also the focus of the investigators.

Criminally, the import and trade of cocaine in Germany carry high prison sentences. Even possession of small quantities can have severe consequences; smuggling in not inconsiderable quantities is considered a crime and is punished with minimum sentences of two years. The concrete outcome of the case remains to be seen.

The incident is part of a series of drug discoveries at German airports where sniffer dogs provided crucial leads. Earlier in spring 2026, larger quantities of narcotics were seized at several airports. The authorities consider such discoveries as evidence of the effectiveness of controls.