Drug gang leaders get 15 year prison terms
The Prosecution demanded 15-year prison sentences before the court at Schiphol against 2 suspected leaders of major drug gangs, Wednesday. In addition to smuggling drugs, the suspects, Franklin A. (40), and Shurendy Q.(31) are also guilty of an attempted assassination and membership of a criminal organization, according to the Prosecution. The organization smuggled cocaine from the Antilles to the Netherlands, using Schiphol staff as well as staff at overseas airports.
The gang operated as a highly structured operation, with a strong hierarchy, and was led by Q., who was flanked by A. as his wingman. The prosecution had monitored A.'s movements for some time after his name had come up during the investigation of a drug trafficking case on Schiphol, when another bust revealed 6 kilo's of cocaine, hidden in the wing of an aircraft, late February of 2012. The Prosecution is convinced Q. and A. have ties to a criminal organization, "No Limit Soldiers," which is also mentioned in the murder case of the politician Helmin Wiels. A business dispute between the "No Limit Soldiers" and a rival gang, "Buena Vista Club," led the two to bring in assassins, in 2012, to terminate an opponent. 'It looks like there's a gang-war going on between different groups on Curaçao, and it's not limited to Curaçao,' said the prosecutor. Late 2012 the police discovered just in time who the intended target was and could apprehend him, since he was also wanted by the police. The target was detained for a few days and then released since he declined police protection. The five-men-strong "soldiers" as they are called, sent to kill their intended target, were arrested a few days later. The prosecution stresses their demand for punishment is strongly influenced by the failed assassination attempt, Q. and A. 'worked on together cold blooded to arrange.'
