How German Media Covered Cocainegate at The European Patent Office (EPO)
The Luis Berenguer scandal [1, 2] implicates more people inside the EPO and even the EU (he came from EUIPO, just like his friend António Campinos)
Last month we wrote about an ongoing scandal [1, 2] after Das Bild had revealed the case; it wasn't the only publication that wrote about this without realising the EPO connection or while actively (i.e. intentionally) obscuring this connection, knowing that "The European Patent Office (EPO) is a Cash Cow of Germany" and to 'admonish' Team Campinos might kill the cow and the cash it produces for the local economy. We'll revisit this point at some later stage when we properly contact journalists (in Germany) and ask politicians to take action. Rest assured, we'll get to the bottom of this.
"Focus.de reported on the Das Bild article and gave further details," said a reader to us, pointing to "Wiesn-Fahnder erwischen koksenden Spanier – der muss 40.000 Euro blechen" (they refer to him like some random Spaniard or a tourist rather than a local official who resides in Germany).
How could they have missed the crucial EPO connection? For investigative media drawing connections is a critical element. Without that, no real "value" is inherent in the journalism.
Paraphrasing (and translating into English) the above:
The "Bild" newspaper reports on a case where drug investigators caught a Spaniard in the act. The man, dressed in traditional Bavarian attire, had taken a transparent plastic container out of his pocket, placed the powder onto a piece of paper, and snorted it in full view of the public. "This is everyday life at Oktoberfest," said the chief investigator to the newspaper.The 56-year-old man was temporarily detained and taken to the Wiesn police station. There, the cocaine was weighed: 1.17 grams. "That's enough for at least five snorts," said the chief investigator.
The man was not held in custody, but since people without a permanent residence in Germany must pay a security deposit, he had to dig deep into his pockets. The arrested Spaniard claimed he earned 20,000 euros a month. As a result, the police demanded 40,000 euros from him, of which he paid 10,000 euros immediately. "That was definitely the most expensive line of his life," said the investigator.
The German version (original)
Oktoberfest 2025: Fahnder erwischen Spanier
Die "Bild"-Zeitung berichtet von einem Fall, bei dem Drogenfahnder einen Spanier in flagranti erwischt haben. Der Mann in Tracht habe einen durchsichtigen Plastikbehälter aus seiner Tasche geholt, das Pulver darin auf ein Blatt Papier getan und es in aller Öffentlichkeit durch die Nase gezogen. „Das ist Alltag auf dem Oktoberfest“, sagte der Chef-Fahnder der Zeitung. Der 56 Jahre alte Mann wurde vorübergehend festgenommen und auf die Wiesn-Wache gebracht. Dort wurde das Kokain gewogen: 1,17 Gramm. „Das reicht für mindestens fünf Nasen“, so der Chef-Fahnder.
Der Mann landete dafür zwar nicht in Haft, aber da Personen ohne festen Wohnsitz in Deutschland eine Sicherheitsleistung zahlen müssen, musste er tief in die Tasche greifen. Denn der festgenommene Spanier habe angegeben, dass er 20.000 Euro im Monat verdiene. Deshalb verlangten die Polizisten 40.000 Euro von ihm, von denen er 10.000 Euro sofort bezahlte. „Das war bestimmt die teuerste Line seines Lebens“, sagte der Fahnder.
Tomorrow (Sunday) we'll show and comment on more press reports. At some point we'll ask that same press to revisit the issue and this time comment on the EPO connection. █