Two suspects have been arrested in the investigation into the wave of violence around Alphen aan den Rijn last October. The Public Prosecution Service sees them as brokers, intermediaries for two incidents on October 10. In the afternoon, shots were fired at a house with an automatic firearm, and in the evening, an attempt was made to cause an explosion.
In October 2024, a wave of violence erupted in and around The Hague, Alphen aan den Rijn, and Leiden. The suspected cause was the theft of a shipment of 1400 kilograms of cocaine in Belgium, followed by the theft of part of that stolen shipment. A series of attacks on homes and commercial properties followed, mainly with explosives but also with firearms.
The police investigation that followed already led to the arrest of thirty suspects. In the past week, two more suspects have been arrested.
Brokers
On October 10 last year, shots were fired at a house on Prins Hendrikstraat in Alphen aan den Rijn in the late afternoon with an automatic firearm. The perpetrators were in contact via Snapchat with the person who provided the weapon and address. According to the Public Prosecution Service, that was a 20-year-old man from Almere. He was arrested on May 21 and is still in custody. In consultation with his lawyer and the court, he is already set to appear on July 3, when the cases of his co-defendants will also be heard.
In the evening of October 10, two suspects (16 and 17 years old) were arrested on the street carrying an explosive. They had previously attempted to detonate it at a front door, but the explosive did not go off. A 17-year-old and an 18-year-old from Amsterdam had already been arrested as brokers, and last Wednesday, a 22-year-old from Amsterdam was also arrested. He is also said to have been an intermediary for the two perpetrators. The examining magistrate has extended his pre-trial detention by 14 days on Friday.
An overview of all incidents and previously arrested suspects can be found in the press release of April 23.