Police: very large cocaine network broken up
Police: very large cocaine network broken up
In recent months, detectives from the IJsselland District Criminal Investigation Department, in collaboration with various government partners at home and abroad, have arrested 21 suspects over a five-month period on suspicion of large-scale smuggling of cocaine in containers with fruit and teak wood. 1.2 tons of cocaine were seized in various places in the investigation.
Stockholm
The investigation started after police and customs officers found a shipment of drugs in a truck at a transport company in November 2021. The cargo was destined for transport to Stockholm. More than 300 kilograms of hashish and 20 kilograms of cocaine were found in the truck. After that, during the international investigation, many more consignments of drugs were seized, as well as firearms. There has been cooperation with Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and Aruba.
Past Interceptions
In addition to the 1,200 kilograms seized, the police also attribute previous interceptions in European ports to the suspects. About 2,800 kilos of hard drugs were found and seized.
Assets have been seized: cars and tens of thousands of euros in cryptocurrencies and cash, as well as high-value objects such as jewellery/watches.
Financial research has also been done. This investigation focuses on the one hand on the seizure of assets, but also provides additional investigation information. This makes networks visible and helps to reconstruct the previous activities of a suspected criminal organization. The police estimate that the criminal organization probably earned hundreds of millions of euros in one year from the drug trade.
Het Gooi
The suspects are two women and 19 men, ranging in age from 23 to 59 years. The arrests mainly took place in Het Gooi, but also in other places. The raids in the Netherlands were in business premises and homes in Blaricum, Ede, Bussum, Leiderdorp, Oss, The Hague, Weesp, Leiden, Huizen, Almere, Naarden, Blaricum. Abroad, searches were carried out in Sweden, Denmark, Ireland and Aruba.
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