On March 23, Latvian Television’s investigative programme De facto reported on how a massive heroin shipment managed to pass through Latvia en route to Germany, despite prior intelligence warning of such an operation.

LSM summed up the findings in its written story.

The drugs, transported by ferry from Liepaja, were ultimately destined for the Netherlands. In all, 450 kilogrammes of heroin, with an estimated street value of around €30mn, moved across Latvia unchecked, raising serious concerns about the country’s customs oversight.

This amount represents roughly one-fifth of all heroin confiscated across the European Union in a year, De facto said.

According to De facto, Latvian customs had informed the Tax and Customs Police about the suspected contraband, yet no action was taken to track its movement through the country. Ultimately, German customs intercepted the shipment after receiving a report from their Latvian counterparts, prompting an internal investigation at Latvia’s State Revenue Service (VID).

The heroin was discovered during a cargo inspection using a mobile X-ray machine. It had been hidden in 11,000 vials, which doubled as air fresheners scented with lavender. The vials contained a flammable gas mixture, making them hazardous to open, and firefighters were called in to assist with the operation.

The Hamburg Customs Investigation Office declined to provide further details to De facto, including Latvia’s role in the case. However, it is likely the shipment followed the so-called Northern Route, which originates in Central Asia, passes through Russia and the Baltic States, and continues to Western Europe.

Latvian customs authorities clarified that the shipment did not enter the country via its external borders with Russia or Belarus – where customs controls are in place – but likely came from Estonia. Cameras at major border crossings did not record the vehicle’s arrival.

Despite receiving intelligence about the heroin shipment, the Tax and Customs Police reportedly did not act, dismissing the warnings as old information, De facto said.