Amsterdam police arrest six in troubled ecstasy deal

The Amsterdam police possibly prevented a "rip deal" on February 25th by arresting a total of 6 people. The term rip deal is used to describe a crime where a drug dealer is killed to avoid paying for goods. According to the police, three Amsterdam residents wanted to rob two men during a drug deal by threatening them with firearms. The police came on the Amsterdam suspects' tracks after receiving information that they ordered 10 thousand Ecstasy pills from the other two men, two brothers from Linschoten aged 19 and 22 years. The Amsterdam trio (aged 20, 26 and 35 years old) were arrested in a parking lot in Amstelveen just before the drug deal. The middlemen, the two brothers from Linschoten, and the possible supplier, a 35 year old man from Amstelveen were also arrested. The police seized more than 10 thousand pills and about 7 thousand euros during the arrest. The police also found a bag with almost a kilogram of amphetamine and a safe containing almost 200 thousand euros in the suspected supplier's house. A 26 year old woman was present at the house when the police arrived and she was arrested on suspicion of money laundering and possession of amphetamine. She was released under certain conditions on March 9th. The 22 year old man from Linschoten was also released by the magistrate on February 27th because there were not enough serious objections against him. His 19 year old brother's custody was extended to early April. The magistrate also extended the custody of the three Amsterdam suspects and the supplier from Amstelveen by 90 days. They will remain in custody until early June.