These were the largest cocaine transports in recent years in the Netherlands. Two batches totaling 9000 kilos. Street value about half a billion euros. One of the alleged smugglers from Bergen op Zoom also saw how special it was: “We have made history,” he wrote in a chat. The public prosecutor is demanding up to 14 years in prison against the ‘big boys’.
April 2020. A cargo boat full of Costa Rican bananas entered the port of Vlissingen. Nothing unusual, but when a shipping container was opened, something caught the eye. An empty space: six pallets of bananas were missing. Someone had secretly taken them out. That usually points to drug smuggling. Customs was on edge.
A week later it happened. Between another shipment of bananas from Costa Rica, more than 4500 kilos of coke turned up. A historical record in Zeeland.
chat
Meanwhile, the first load had already passed unseen. The blocks were neatly sorted in a house in Kapelle in Zeeland. From there, the orders went on to customers at home and abroad. In intercepted crypto communications from Encrochat and Sky, police found chats about transportation, security, locations, storage, pricing, and profit sharing.
One of the chats proudly stated: “We made history.” On the first transport, it was chatted: “It worked.” The suspects took a pastry on the happy ending. Each participant received a 1.7 million euro reward for the job.
Family
The police had meanwhile arrived in Bergen op Zoom. Three members of the same family and a friend came into view. Almost all of them were arrested, a few escaped.
In recent weeks, 14 years in prison have been demanded against the alleged leaders. According to the Public Prosecution Service, this is in any case Moraad B. (42) from Bergen op Zoom. He officially lives in Dubai, but is a fugitive. A fellow townsman and a man from Goes also heard the same punishment.
The trial against the last main suspect, Bilal el K. (33) from Bergen op Zoom, was held on Friday.
Crime least
Bilal was not in court. “He just fled before his arrest and is probably abroad,” the prosecutor said. His lawyer was there. He asked for an acquittal. He questioned the crypto phones and the millions in crime profits. “Where’s all that money?”
Bilal has previously been convicted of smuggling 24 kilograms of coke on the freight train from Moerdijk to Milan in 2017. Together with his brother and Mohammed B., he hid bags of drugs at Lage Zwaluwe station. That Mohamed B. (42) is a cousin of main suspect Moraad B. from Bergen.
Train
Mohamed is known to the police. He was also convicted of the Moerdijk train smuggling and a transport to the Westland of more than 500 kilos of coke. Those cases are still on appeal.
8 years in prison is the requirement for Mohamed B. His lawyer finds 5.5 years more appropriate. Or better yet, acquittal for lack of evidence. The suspect himself also believes that the evidence is lacking. “Look at it critically”, Mohamed B. kindly asked the court to thank them for the attention.
Process agreements have been made with Mohamed and a dozen other suspects. A kind of ‘deal’ between the Public Prosecution Service and lawyers to prevent a lengthy lawsuit and appeal. In the other cases, up to ten years has been demanded. The court will decide in two weeks.
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