Residents of the haunted villa in Roosendaal, which plays an important role in a mega drug case, cannot expect the situation around the building, which has been plagued by vandalism and arson, to improve for the time being. The judge ruled in the criminal case on Tuesday. The Public Prosecution Service has decided that the seizure of the capital villa will remain until the appeal has been lodged. And that could take a few years.
The villa on Robijndijk is central to the case under code name Biedenkopf. In this mega criminal case, fourteen suspects were convicted on Tuesday of international hashish and hemp trafficking. The judge ruled, among other things, that Hassan C. (46) used the villa to launder more than 1.3 million euros in black money.
Shortly after the police raid more than ten years ago, the Public Prosecution Service seized the villa, which has been in disrepair ever since. The police, enforcement and fire brigade have been close to the building ever since. Earlier this year, the fire brigade had to respond to a fire in the building for the umpteenth time.
Ticking time bomb
According to local residents, it is only a matter of time before things really go wrong. “It has gradually become a ticking time bomb. You have to worry, this cannot continue, can it?” a local resident previously told Omroep Brabant. The villa mainly attracts boys who find it exciting to hang out there. They share their experiences on YouTube.
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The municipality of Roosendaal previously installed a fence and warning signs around the capital villa. An exceptional measure, because the municipality does not own the land and therefore has no control over the building.
Lengthy criminal trial
The Public Prosecution Service has only seized the property so that the house is not resold in the meantime. According to the Public Prosecution Service, the duty of care for the property lies with the homeowner. He could even live there too. During the lawsuit it became clear that the owner of the capital villa moved to South America three months after the purchase in 2012.
Residents had hoped that something would change in the situation after Tuesday’s verdict. But due to the unusually lengthy criminal trial, nothing at all happens to the haunted villa.
The Public Prosecution Service must wait until the case is final. That could be the case in fourteen days, if convicted Hassan C. does not appeal. But it is more likely that there will be an appeal and that it will only become clear in 2026 or 2027 how the capital villa will proceed.
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