In the first half of 2023, Dutch customs intercepted a third more cocaine than in the first half of last year. This is evident from the half-yearly figures of the customs authorities. The intercepted drugs are mainly shipped clandestinely in containers containing other goods — especially shiploads of fruit and other foodstuffs are popular.
Although the bulk of the cocaine interceptions are still done in the port of Rotterdam, the number of kilos intercepted in Vlissingen is increasing sharply. In the past six months, about 3,000 kilos were intercepted. In the first half of 2022, that was 2,200 kilos. According to customs, the increase is partly due to stricter controls in the port.
Unabated increase in cocaine use
In recent years, the murders of Peter R. de Vries and lawyer Derk Wiersum have made the Netherlands increasingly fascinated by drug crime and its effect on the upper world. Outgoing State Secretary Aukje de Vries of Allowances and Customs (VVD) says in the press release of the customs: “Criminals who smuggle cocaine into our country operate ruthlessly. They recruit minors, put pressure on entrepreneurs and make our countryside unsafe with their drug labs. That is why we have to crack down on drug smuggling.” In addition to drug lord Ridouan Taghi, bosses Bolle Jos, Mink K. and Piet S. have also been arrested in recent years and have already been partially convicted.
In the meantime, cocaine use continues to rise unabated in the Netherlands and in Europe, it appears research of the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction. The Volkskrant calculated that in Amsterdam on Sundays about 100 lines of coke are done per 1,000 inhabitants. Including mayor Femke Halsema of Amsterdam (GroenLinks) has already said in 2022 that the “War on Drugs does not work”. However, there is little support for legalization.
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