Pizza takeaway raided by drug squad over best-selling special order

They busted an entire drug ring

Police said the restaurant in Dusseldorf, western Germany would provide the drug when customers asked for item number 40 on the menu, the price of which was not known.

Criminal director Michael Graf von Moltke said: “That was one of the best-selling pizzas.”

The police were tipped off by food inspectors in March this year.

When drug squad officers began observing the restaurant, they buzzed the restaurant manager's apartment.

He then proceeded to throw a bag of drugs out of the window which "fell right into the arms of the police officers", according to Dusseldorf police.

1.6kg of cocaine, 40g of cannabis and €268,000 (£223,480) in cash were discovered by Police and the manager was detained for a few days.

However, he reopened the business and continued to sell pizza number 40 with the usual side order.

Investigators saw this as an opportunity to look into the supply chain over the course of several weeks before 150 officers busted an entire drug ring in western Germany.

Police arrested three people, including the 22-year-old suspected head of the operation, and raided homes and businesses of another 12 suspects.

They discovered two cannabis farms in nearby Mönchengladbach and Solingen, with 300 and 60 plants respectively.

The pizzeria’s manager attempted to flee the country but was apprehended and remains in custody.