Criminal Law & Criminology
Dr. Robin Hofmann
Assistant Professor
About
Dr. Robin Hofmann is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Law and Criminology at Maastricht University, He is specialized in organized crime, drug policies, and cross-border cooperation between law enforcement agencies. During his international career he has implemented several research projects and conducted field-work in challengeing environments like the Kosovo. He regularly comments on current developments in the field of organized crime in the media and is a guest speaker at universities and other institutions.
A trained German lawyer and sociologist, Dr. Hofmann earned his PhD in Law in 2016. His professional experience includes roles as a legal trainee with the German Prosecution Service, the German Foreign Office, and the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (UNICTY) in The Hague. He has also been a visiting researcher at the University of Oslo and provides expert advice on cannabis regulation to the German government and across Europe.
Visit him on LinkedIn and find all his publications here


+++ New Book+++
The Regulation of Cannabis in Europe – Of Highs and Laws
Published March 19, 2025 by Routledge
Changing attitudes towards cannabis across Europe are challenging old convictions of drug prohibition and making space for new approaches to the drug. This book delves into the evolving landscape of cannabis regulation across Europe and the world. Starting with Germany’s push for full legalization, the work highlights the hurdles faced by policymakers, offering a detailed analysis of the international and European frameworks that restrict drug policy reform and discussing potential loopholes to avoid them. The case of Germany and its struggle with cannabis reform serves as a valuable blueprint with guidance for other states considering implementing more progressive approaches to drugs. The volume explores the complexities of cannabis regulation in a concise and approachable way, targeting not only legal professionals but also policymakers and readers with an interest in the societal dynamics of drug policy reforms and how these are shaped by the European Union and international law. The book will be of interest to a broad audience that includes legal scholars and practitioners; students of criminology, international law, and European law; and those with an interest in EU security and health policies.
News
An interview in the ZDF about the activities of the Dutch Mocro-Maffia in Germany.
A short statement in the ARD tagesschau on the thread of organized crime.
An Interview with ZDF Heute on the dangers of the Dutch Mocro- Maffia for security in Germany
Presentations
12.2.2026 | The Criminalization of Drugs, Leiden Law School
21.3.2025 | Organized Crime from an International Perspective, Schloss Gimborn
13.1.2025 | Die niederländische Mocro Mafia, LKA Düsseldorf
21.11.2024 | International Forum for Sustainable Cannabis Regulation, Schloss Lübbenau
1.9.2024 | Maastricht University – Will Cannabis soon be legal within the EU?
7.10.2023 | CDU Düsseldorf – Fachtagung Cannabis
22.6.2023 | Uni Leiden – Criminalisation and its limits: Drug Offences
4.5.2023 | Uni Giessen – Wie die organsierte Kriminalität unsere freie Gesellschaft bedroht
20.4.2023 | Maastricht University – Europes’ Cannabis Dilemma: The risks of legalization and how it can be done right
16.11.2022 | BKA Herbsttagung: Schwere und Organiserte Kriminalität als Bedrohung für den Staat. Wiesbaden
In the Media
International
Welt am Sonntag: Kriminelle werben Kinder an
The Guardian: Cocaine in the Hamburg Harbor
NZZ Neue Zürcher Zeitung: Mocro-Mafia in Deutschland
NZZ Neue Zürcher Zeitung: Kokain im Hamburger Hafen
BBC: Cannabis Decriminalization – ‘A marathon, not a sprint’
DW News: Germany urges international cooperation to disrupt drug supply chains
Welt am Sonntag: Organized Crime in Sweden (in German)
stern.de: Threaths of Organized Crime for the Rule of Law (in German)
Der Spiegel: Organized Crime in the Netherlands (in German)
Svenska Dagbladet: Organized crime in the Netherlands (in Swedish)
Kosmopol Denmark: Cannabis legalization and EU Law (in Danish)
Interviews
ARD Morgenmagazin: Organisierte Kriminalität in Deutschland
Spiegelonline: Organisierte Kriminalität in Schweden
ZDF heute: Mocro Mafia in Deutschland?
Legal Tribune Online: Scheitert die Cannabislegalisierung?
Süddeutsche Zeitung: “So hätte man es auch in Deutschland machen sollen.”
Der Spiegel: Cannabislegalisierung in Deutschland
WAZ: Drohen Bandenkriege in Deutschland?
NJW-Aktuell: Europäische Lösung für Cannabisfreigabe
WirtschaftsWoche: Geldautomatensprengungen in Deutschland
Radio & Podcasts
WDR 5 Podcast: Die Rheinische Drogenszene
OE1 Radio Österreich: Crime as a service
WDR Radio: Drogenkriminalität in Köln
Bayern 2 Radio: 1 Jahr CannabisGesetz
Deutscher Bundestag: Expertise
BR24: Wird die Deutsche Drogenpolitik sinnvoller?
US National Public Radio: Germans prep for pot legalization (in English)
Euractiv: Cannabis and EU Law (in English)
Krautinvest podcast: A discussion on legalizing cannabis
Verfassungsblog.de: Diese Probleme muss die Regierung bei der Cannabislegalisierung lösen
Expertise & Research Interests
Cross-Border Cooperation
Crime has become increasingly transnational. Especially organized criminals exploit state borders for illicit activities. Law enforcement agencies often lack behind these developments and legal cooperation across state borders is full of frictions. How can we improve law enforcement cooperation across state borders to fight crime?
Organized Crime
Organized criminals are increasingly active in many european states. The mocro-mafia in the Netherlands or criminal family clans in Germany – these networks pose enourmous challenges for law enforcement agencies. How can we better monitor organized crime and implement more effective crime policies within Europe?
Cannabis Policies
Cannabis prohibition has become under pressure worldwide. More and more countries (incl. Germany) set out to legalize the soft drug for recreational purposes. But international and european law still focused on a criminal justice approach. How can the legal regime be changed to keep pace with new developments while at the same time minmizing health, security and crime risks?
Publications
Robin Hofmann has published about different topics within criminology and criminal law, both in German and English.
Panama Papers Revisited
Cannabis Legalization
Organized Crime