German authorities have launched a major crackdown on an alleged far-right extremist music network accused of spreading Nazi ideology through hate-filled recordings. Prosecutors say the group promoted antisemitic, racist, and anti-democratic content through the production and sale of music releases across Germany and beyond.
The public prosecutor's office in Rostock announced that police carried out raids on Wednesday against members of the so-called right-wing extremist Rechtsrockszene. Investigators searched the properties of four suspects in the German states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein, and Bavaria.
Authorities allege that the suspects have been involved since at least 2020 in producing and distributing music containing extremist and hate-inciting content. According to prosecutors, the recordings were used to spread a National Socialist, antisemitic, racist, and inhumane ideology.
A Special Operations Unit (SEK) from the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Criminal Police Office participated in the operation. The main suspects, aged between 43 and 55, are under investigation for membership in a criminal organization. One individual is believed to have acted as the group's leader.
The investigation extends beyond the core group. Police also searched properties linked to eight additional suspects in Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, and Thuringia. These individuals are suspected of incitement to hatred in connection with the distribution of the extremist music.
Authorities emphasized that no arrests were planned during the operation, as the primary objective was to secure evidence and advance the ongoing investigation.
Police also conducted searches involving ten people connected to the suspects who are not currently considered criminal suspects themselves. At the same time, coordinated operations took place in Estonia, Italy, Poland, and the Czech Republic.
In total, around 400 police officers participated in the large-scale raids, highlighting the cross-border effort to combat the spread of extremist propaganda and hate-driven networks.