Is Rotterdam Europe's Narco Port? > Three large cocaine busts; Dutchman arrested in Germany with two suitcases full of drugs

 

At least 13 arrested in two cocaine busts at Rotterdam port

At least 13 suspects have been arrested for two separate cocaine transports through the Port of Rotterdam. A total of 600 kilos of cocaine came with the two shipments, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) has said.

The first shipment was discovered on July 2. Customs officers found 220 kilograms of cocaine in a container of bananas from Peru. After the drugs were intercepted, the container was transported to Belgium. On July 24, the shipment was then brought to a warehouse in Zeewolde. There, men from Diemen, Lelystad, Amsterdam, Zwolle, and Purmerend, aged between 26 and 63, were arrested. Two firearms were found in their vehicles, including an automatic weapon.

The next shipment was found on July 11. Customs officers discovered 380 kilos of cocaine in two containers of logs from Brazil. One of these containers was taken to Breda a week later.

During the unloading, men aged between 27 and 44 from Schiedam, Vlaardingen, and Dordrecht were arrested, as well as a suspect with no fixed address.

The OM also reported that this Tuesday, another 54 kilograms of cocaine were found hidden in the structure of a container from Ecuador. As far as is known, no arrests have been made in connection with that case. The container of bananas was en route to a company in Poland, but according to the prosecution, that company has no ties to the drug smuggling.

Dutchman caught with suitcases filled with ecstasy, ketamine on train to Berlin

The German police arrested a 42-year-old Dutchman on a train from Amsterdam to Berlin for drug trafficking. He had two suitcases filled with €440,000 worth of ecstasy pills and ketamine with him, the German customs reported on Tuesday.

The arrest happened on July 14. Customs officers checked the man at Bad Bentheim, the first German stop on the international train from Amsterdam to Berlin.

According to the German authorities, the man denied having drugs with him and said that the two suitcases had been given to him. He also claimed not to know the suitcases’ lock code, but opened them when pressed.

Once opened, the suitcases proved to be filled to the brim with drugs - 30 kilograms of ecstasy pills and 5 kilograms of ketamine. The drugs have an estimated street value of €440,000.

The German authorities seized the drugs and arrested the Dutchman. The investigation is ongoing.