Berlin cracks down: new prosecutor targets organized crime with ‘ferrum’ and ‘telum’ units
Gun violence in Berlin is escalating, prompting a swift and decisive response from the city’s newly appointed public prosecutor, Ingrid Jaeger. She’s not interested in offering platitudes; she’s assembling specialized investigative teams – ‘Ferrum’ and ‘Telum’ – to dismantle the criminal networks fueling the surge in shootings.
A shift in strategy: from reaction to proactive pursuit
Jaeger, a veteran of Bloomberg’s investigative reporting, understands that simply responding to crimes is insufficient. “We always come after the crime,” she stated bluntly, “but we need to be proactive. This means immediately reallocating resources when the police identify a priority – a surge in organized crime activity, as we’ve seen with these escalating incidents.” The sheer size of the public prosecutor’s office, boasting six specialized departments, allows for this rapid shift, a key advantage in confronting the fluidity of these criminal enterprises.
The recent wave of violence, primarily targeting individuals involved in extortion and turf wars, is being directly linked to these organized crime factions. Police have established the ‘Ferrum’ unit – a state-level special operation – to bolster their efforts, while the public prosecutor’s office has launched ‘Telum,’ an investigative group focused on asset recovery. The strategic deployment of these units underscores a deliberate effort to exert pressure on the underlying structures of organized crime.
Recent raids on bars and known meeting points have been particularly focused on disrupting these networks. Jaeger’s message is unequivocal: “You won’t get away with it.” But, she concedes, the office’s role is often limited to post-crime investigation. “We’re not primarily a preventative force,” she admitted – a candid assessment of the challenges inherent in tackling sophisticated criminal organizations.
Despite this reactive approach, the office possesses a cadre of highly trained legal experts specializing in organized crime. These specialists are crucial in pursuing asset confiscation – a recent initiative has yielded €21.8 million in revenue for Berlin. Just last month, a regional court sentenced two members of an Arab crime family and another defendant to prison following a fire set to vehicles belonging to prison staff – a case Jaeger described as a vital signal to potential offenders.
However, Jaeger acknowledges the inherent frustrations of pursuing complex, long-term investigations, particularly concerning asset recovery. “There’s a high tolerance for frustration,” she observed. “But we’ve made tremendous progress in recovering assets—21.8 million euros last year alone. That’s what keeps us going.” The success, she insists, isn’t about grand pronouncements, but about sustained, meticulous action.
“Underlying all of this,” Jaeger concluded, “is the need to establish control. To make absolutely clear that these individuals will face the full consequences of their actions. It’s not about fear; it’s about establishing the rules.”