Six grams of cocaine. It was found in November 2022 in the house of a family with a father, mother, two sons and two daughters in Oosterhout. The mayor wanted to close the house and the housing corporation wanted to cancel the rent. That would have huge consequences for the whole family. That’s why the judge wanted to solve it differently.
The two sons of the family have been causing problems for a long time, the municipality says in April at the court case in Breda about the closure. The sons violated corona rules, caused a nuisance and were arrested several times with drugs in their pocket. The conversations that the municipality and the police had with the family yielded nothing. The house was raided several times, to no avail. But in November 2022, the police found the six grams of cocaine.
House locked
The mayor found the amount of cocaine enough to close the house for three months. In this way he wants to show that the government takes strict action against drug crime. The landlord also wanted to cancel the lease, because it is strictly forbidden to have drugs in the house. This would mean that the family is not allowed to return to the home after the closure.
During the closing trial, the family’s attorney said the parents were unaware there were drugs in the home. “Agents have sometimes been at the door because of, for example, noise nuisance or because the sons did not comply with the curfew. But they didn’t know that drugs were being traded. And certainly not that there were drugs at home.”
The mother of the family told the judge that she wants her children to have nothing to do with drugs. “I often check my children’s clothes and rooms. It hurts to do that to your own children.” She said she also just let the police in at the check. “I was sure I didn’t have any junk in my house. But I was tricked by my son. He went to the bathroom and there were the drugs.”
Big consequences
It has major consequences for the family if they have to leave their home. According to the lawyer, they cannot go to family or friends and find another rental home is also impossible. The mother told the court that she kicked the two sons out of the house. But she is afraid that the rest of the family will end up on the street if they also have to leave the house.
While the eldest daughter studies full-time in Breda, while she still lives at home. And about the minor daughter, the lawyer said in court: “Even if a house is found in another municipality, it is difficult for her. She has to go to another school and make other friends. That is very radical in her life. ”
Judge postpones
The judge was sensitive to the latter argument. The ruling was published on April 25 this year. The judge finds the six grams of cocaine found in the house enough to close the house. But also says that the minor daughter can do nothing about it and should not be the victim of the closure. That is why the judge gives the family six weeks to find another home.
At the time of writing, the case is with the objections committee of Oosterhout and it is still unclear whether the family has to leave the house, or whether they can continue to live there.
Omroep Brabant is investigating the closure of drug premises in Brabant. Do you want to comment or do you have a tip? Email our research editor