Drug gang dispute: Long sentences for defendants after bathtub hostage-taking in Hamburg

A Hamburg court has handed down significant prison sentences to two men convicted of a brutal kidnapping and assault. The victim endured days of captivity in a bathtub in a Hamburg-Billstedt apartment, guarded by armed individuals wielding pistols and knives. The 25-year-old and 27-year-old defendants were found to be among the perpetrators by the Hamburg Regional Court.

The court determined that the motive behind the June 2025 incident was an escalated dispute concerning alleged drug debts owed by an acquaintance of the victim. Presiding Judge Thees Willemer described the prolonged captivity as "endangering life." The defendants, both with prior convictions and still on probation, were seeking "quick money," having been promised a reward of 10,000 euros. Both men have histories of debt and regular drug use.

The 25-year-old received a combined sentence of nine years and six months, including mandatory treatment in a drug rehabilitation facility, reflecting the court's finding of diminished responsibility due to his drug dependency. The 27-year-old was sentenced to ten years in prison. The verdicts were received calmly by the defendants and are not yet legally binding.

According to the court's findings, the two convicted men, along with accomplices, lured the victim from the Netherlands to Hamburg under false pretenses, reportedly related to a car purchase, though the court believed the true intention was drug-related business. Their objective was to coerce the victim into convincing a known drug dealer, who allegedly owed the gang one million euros, to travel from Mallorca to Germany. The victim was forced to send text messages to the debtor, but the debtor became suspicious and did not travel, the presiding judge reported. The victim suffered severe physical and psychological trauma, including being hooded, deprived of food and water, and denied toilet access, leading to "deathly fear" and lasting physical pain and cognitive issues.