The Public Prosecution Service (OM) is demanding prison sentences against a 35-year-old man from Utrecht, a 51-year-old man from Meteren, and a 53-year-old man from Nieuwaal. The three men are suspected of dealing in and transporting about 400 kilograms of cocaine.
The police and the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD) came across the three men in 2023. After an intercepted conversation between a suspect from an earlier investigation and a 51-year-old man from Utrecht, the suspicion arose that the latter was actively involved in the cocaine trade. He is later seen as the organizer of the transports. The conversation between the two includes references to packing and preparing items, numbers, blocks, and stamps of tigers and pitbulls. The exchanged words seem to be about one thing only: cocaine.
Transport
This suspicion is shortly thereafter confirmed. A day after the intercepted conversation, the police observation team sees a second suspect, a 35-year-old man from Utrecht, seemingly picking something up from the suspect from the earlier investigation. Although the suspect denies it, the footage on his confiscated phone does not lie. Photos taken on the day of the transport show cocaine blocks. Including the previously discussed stamp: an image of a tiger. Later in the investigation, the retrieved blocks are seized and positively tested as kilo blocks of cocaine. But the story does not stop there.
Backseat Full of Cocaine
During the course of the criminal investigation, the authorities stumble upon the other two suspects: a 53-year-old man from Nieuwaal and a 51-year-old man from Meteren. These men also seem to be involved in the transports. Their role as accomplices becomes undeniable in December 2023. On December 4, after an observation, the two suspects come face to face with the police arrest team. On the property of one of the suspects, the team finds the two men wearing gardening gloves by two cars with open trunks. In both cars, a crate is visible containing dozens of kilos of cocaine blocks. This time with the stamp of a pitbull. It is enough reason for the police to arrest the four suspects.
Cash, Weapons, and Lists
Although the suspects initially deny, the Public Prosecution Service believes there is enough evidence to link the suspects to the cocaine trade. Some suspects state in their testimony that they did not know cocaine was in the cars they were transporting. According to the Public Prosecution Service, that statement is insufficient. In one of these suspects homes, nearly 300,000 euros in cash was found where the trade took place. A phenomenon that fits well with cocaine trafficking. Multiple firearms with illegal ammunition were also found in this suspects home. This also aligns well with cocaine wholesale trade, given the risk of rip deals.
In another suspects home, besides photos of cocaine blocks, lists titled Pitbull and chat conversations corresponding to the transport dates are found. Later, this suspect states that those lists are related to the cocaine transports and the quantities of cocaine sold.
“Great Societal Impact”
According to the Public Prosecution Service, what the suspects have done is very serious. “Cocaine poses a danger to health,” begins the prosecutor. “Not only due to the use of cocaine itself, but also because this crime is often accompanied by other forms of crime, including violent crimes that have a significant societal impact.” For this reason, the prosecutor demands significant sentences against the three suspects today.
The three suspects, the presumed executors, face what the Public Prosecution Service believes to be a severe sentence. The Public Prosecution Service demands a prison sentence of 7, 6, and 6 years for the men aged 35, 51, and 53 years. The case of the 51-year-old man from Utrecht, presumably the organizer of the transports, will be dealt with at another time due to circumstances.