Focus operation in Vienna: Plainclothes officers foil drug sale in the Inner City

At around 3:00 p.m., two Syrian nationals aged 22 and 26 attempted to sell cannabis resin to a supposed buyer on Johannesgasse in Vienna's first district. As the police spokesperson explained, the 26-year-old Syrian took on the role of the "scout": "He was supposed to find out whether there was interest in the drugs and to make sure the buyer was not a police officer." The supposed buyer, however, was an undercover officer. Subsequently, "a 22-year-old Syrian came over with the goods, the cannabis resin." Both suspects were provisionally detained and "reported while at large." The drugs were seized.

Sequence of events on Johannesgasse

In the course of the operation, officers also stopped a 33-year-old Serbian national in his car. As police reported, an existing entry ban into the federal territory had been issued against him; he was reported under the Aliens Police Act. On Ottakringer Straße, officers also picked up a 34-year-old Serbian citizen against whom outstanding administrative fines amounting to 6,112.50 euros had been recorded. Since he was unable to pay the amount, he was arrested.

Almost simultaneously, forces of the Vienna Rapid Response Unit detained a 26-year-old Romanian national in Ottakring and seized approximately 20 grams of cannabis from him. He was reported under the Narcotic Substances Act. In total, police confiscated 40.5 grams of cannabis resin, 20 grams of cannabis, and 145 euros in cash during the course of the operation.

Further arrests and seizures

According to police, the result of the focus operation includes four arrests, three of which were carried out under the Code of Criminal Procedure and one under the Administrative Penal Act. In addition, there were three reports under the Narcotic Substances Act, four reports under the Administrative Penal Act, and one report under the Aliens Police Act.

Result of the focus operation

The focus operation is part of a series of coordinated deployments that the Vienna State Police Directorate has been carrying out regularly in the area and throughout Vienna since the weapons prohibition zone at Yppenplatz came into effect at the end of October 2025. According to police, the aim of these operations is to increase safety in the affected districts and to take action against organized forms of drug crime.

The Vienna police announced that such focus operations would be continued in the coming weeks. The focus will continue to be on combating illegal residence, juvenile crime, and compliance with the weapons prohibition zone. Members of the public can report suspicious observations via the known emergency numbers or at the nearest police station.