Four suspects, three of whom appeared in court in Groningen on June 3, are facing sentences for participating in an organized form of synthetic drug trafficking in Kiel-Windeweer, dumping drug waste, disposing of a body, and money laundering. These include a man and a woman from Kiel-Windeweer aged 71 and 68, a 68-year-old man from Nieuwe Scheemda, and a 29-year-old man who was not present at the hearing.
The prosecutor: “On Sunday afternoon, August 21, 2022, a defunct drug lab is found in Kielwindeweer at Nieuwe Compagnie. In the subsequent criminal investigation, a cesspool is literally and figuratively opened. To the dismay of many, the body of a previously reported missing man is found in that cesspool. The file shows a picture of involved individuals crossing borders, with their own interests appearing to take precedence. Matters that cannot withstand the light of day are concealed or hidden.” The indictment against the main suspect lists ten charges. These charges are often interconnected, but there is also some overlap. The investigation focused on possessing a synthetic drug lab with all related activities in Kiel-Windeweer, disposing of a body, electricity theft, and damaging the electricity works, various environmental offenses, including dumping drug waste in Leek and Roden, and money laundering.
Statement
The Public Prosecution Service: “It is a well-known fact that the production and trade of synthetic drugs are in the hands of large, organized criminal networks that make substantial profits and protect their interests in this trade and production with (gross) violence and threats of violence. The suspects have contributed to an organized form of drug crime that has taken large forms in our country in recent years and leads to undermining Dutch society.
It is also a well-known fact that the use of synthetic drugs poses a serious threat to public health.”
In the investigation on the site in Kiel-Windeweer where various barns and sea containers are found, the police discover two spaces where the production of amphetamines would have taken place. Throughout the site, production-related goods, such as jerrycans, gas burners, and drug waste, are scattered. A comprehensive investigation follows.
Disposing of a body
The risks posed by the chemicals used in the production of synthetic drugs have painfully become clear in this case. During the investigation, a body is found in one of the existing pits on the site. It turns out to be the body of a man who worked in the drug lab. The Public Prosecution Service assumes death by intoxication with chemicals. No one can be criminally blamed for his death. However, the 71-year-old suspect can be blamed for disposing of the body.
The prosecutor: “Disposing of the body is not only punishable but also morally reprehensible. The manner in which the body was disposed of (dumped in a pit with drug waste) is disrespectful and inhumane. The suspect acted solely in his own interest, out of fear of the discovery of the drug lab. He also frustrated the investigation into the disappearance of the man, causing the relatives to live in uncertainty about his fate for weeks. And he deprived the relatives of the chance to say goodbye to their loved one in a normal, dignified, and memorable way. The way the body of the man was treated has also shocked society.”
Environmental offenses
The Public Prosecution Service considers the 71-year-old suspect from Kiel-Windeweer and the 68-year-old suspect from Nieuw Scheemda guilty of committing multiple environmental offenses. Forensic investigation and soil sampling on the plot at Nieuwe Compagnie in Kielwindeweer indicate that the Soil Management Act and the Environmental Management Act have been violated.
A few months before the discovery of the drug lab, dumping of drug waste was observed in Norg and Roden that later proved to be unmistakably from the suspects drug lab. This involved 16 blue jerrycans of 20 liters in Norg and 32 blue jerrycans of 20 liters in Roden containing remnants of products used in the production of synthetic drugs. The costs for cleaning up and destroying the drug lab and the waste found in the pits on the suspects site have been estimated at € 104,928.78. The police request the Public Prosecution Service to recover these costs from the suspect.
The Public Prosecution Service: “Dumping of drug waste has become a major societal and safety problem. It is clear that dumping this waste poses significant risks to nature and public health. Moreover, police officers, firefighters, and supervisors responsible for detecting and cleaning up chemical waste are exposed to serious health risks.”
Money laundering
The man and woman from Kielwindeweer are suspected of laundering a sum of money that is likely derived from a crime. Over a period of more than a year and a half, they had access to a significant amount of cash that does not correspond to their reported legal income. The total cash amount that, according to the Public Prosecution Service, was available from at least the beginning of 2021 to mid-2022 is over € 42,000, which is more than 2.5 times the annual income they have according to the records.
Sentencing demands
According to the Public Prosecution Service, the 71-year-old suspect has been involved in the preparation, execution, and handling of the production of amphetamine. In addition, he is suspected of disposing of the body, dumping waste, and money laundering. A severe sentence is what the Public Prosecution Service deems appropriate and demands five years of imprisonment. Furthermore, the prosecutor requests the court to impose on the suspect the obligation to reimburse the state for the costs incurred for the cleanup. The actions of the 68-year-old suspect from Nieuw Scheemda are more limited. The conviction is based on complicity consisting of a limited number of actions. He faces a prison sentence of 30 months, of which 10 months are conditional with a probation period of two years and a deduction of pre-trial detention. The role of the 29-year-old suspect is considered as an executor. A demand of 18 months of imprisonment is deemed appropriate by the Public Prosecution Service. The 67-year-old woman, who is suspected of money laundering, should, in the opinion of the Public Prosecution Service, be punished with a community service of 240 hours.