Razzia Neugasshof: 15 Arrested as Zurich Police Storm Kreis 5 Bar

The Razzia Neugasshof operation unfolded late on Wednesday evening, when Zurich police stormed the Neugasshof bar in the city’s Kreis 5 district in one of the largest law enforcement actions in the area this year. Fifteen people were arrested on suspicion of large-scale drug trafficking, and 14 of them remained in provisional custody the following day.

What happened in the Razzia Neugasshof operation

The raid was carried out on the orders of the Zurich public prosecutor’s office, acting on suspicion of organised drug dealing from the premises. Special forces deployed a battering ram to gain entry to the bar late in the evening, and officers conducted an extensive search of the building, opening up the floors where drugs were suspected to have been hidden.

Who was arrested

Of the 15 people taken into custody, there were 12 men and three women, aged between 25 and 71, holding Swiss, Serbian, Hungarian, Croatian and Italian citizenship. One person was released after questioning, while 14 remained in provisional custody. Among those arrested was the bar’s innkeeper, Roland Gisler, who has run the Neugasshof since 2008.

What police seized

According to reporting from Blick and Tages-Anzeiger, officers recovered several hundred grams of cocaine, several kilos of cannabis products, a large amount of cash, a handgun with ammunition and electronic evidence. 20 Minuten added that a pistol with two loaded magazines, a baseball bat and electronic data carriers were also taken from the scene.

Razzia Neugasshof: why this bar was targeted again

The Razzia Neugasshof operation was not the first time the bar has drawn police attention. The Neugasshof had already been raided in 2024 and again in 2025, making this the third such operation in as many years.

A bar with a history of raids

Gisler was convicted of drug dealing in 2021. He has publicly described an earlier raid as an intimidation tactic by the authorities, citing a serious illness, and has claimed to be unfit for detention. That argument did not prevent this week’s arrest: he was taken into custody along with the other suspects.

The Damir Kocan question

The public prosecutor’s office has stated that this raid is not connected to the Damir Kocan case, closing off speculation about a link between the two proceedings.

Razzia Neugasshof: what happens next

With 14 people still in provisional custody, the investigation now moves into its next phase. Prosecutors will review the seized drugs, cash, firearm and electronic evidence before deciding whether to request formal pre-trial detention. Given the scale of the alleged operation and the bar’s history, the case is likely to stay in the headlines for some time.

Zurich has a long record of measured but firm enforcement against the drug trade around the Langstrasse and Kreis 5 nightlife corridor, balancing public safety with one of the world’s most liberal drug policies. The scale of this operation, with special forces, a battering ram and 15 arrests, signals that prosecutors are prepared to act decisively when they suspect a venue has become a hub for organised dealing.

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