Trial in Düsseldorf German TV chef delivers specialty pizza - with cocaine on the side
Cocaine was offered as a side dish to a pizza in a Düsseldorf pizzeria. The pizza chef is now on trial.
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- A Düsseldorf TV chef is on trial for falsely advertising his "Pizza Spezial" on the menu and allegedly listing more expensive ingredients than were actually used.
- Pizza number 40 was delivered with a special ingredient: half a gram of cocaine.
- The public order office investigated the pizzeria on suspicion of illegal employment and violations of youth protection laws. The officers found the illegal ingredient.
An unusual case is currently occupying the Düsseldorf Regional Court: pizza chef Stipe R., known for his deep-fried calzones, is on trial for commercial trafficking in narcotics. The specialty of his pizzeria, the number 40, was served for 40 euros with a special ingredient - half a gram of cocaine.
The investigation began when the public order office of the city of Düsseldorf inspected the pizzeria in March 2024 on suspicion of illegal employment and youth protection violations.
The officers discovered the illegal pizza toppings. During a later search in August 2024, Stipe R. tried to throw a bag containing drugs out of the window, but it was caught by the police.
A total of 1.6 kilograms of cocaine, 200 grams of cannabis and almost 264,000 euros were seized, reports "bild.de".
Restaurateur became famous through TV show
In court, Stipe R. admitted through his lawyer that he had distributed drugs to friends and acquaintances, but denied that cocaine had been sold in his pizzeria. The lawyer also explained that there was more cocaine in the walls of the pizzeria and that his client was prepared to show the hiding places.
The pizzeria, known for its deep-fried calzones, was featured on the VOX program "Lege kommt auf den Geschmack", where Stipe R. described the recipe as an inheritance from his Italian mother. The pizza chef, who is currently in custody, is not giving any interviews.
The trial, which is scheduled to last until February 12, comprises five trial days. Stipe R. faces up to five years in prison. It is not yet clear when the police will search the pizzeria again.
The editor wrote this article with the help of AI.
