Kerkrade cop earned €118,000 selling police info to criminals

A former detective from Kerkrade is suspected of making 117,707 euros by selling police information to drug criminals, was revealed in a pro-forma hearing against the former cop and five co-defendants on Monday, NRC reports. The suspected cop, Mike D. (40), was arrested in January last year. According to the Public Prosecutor, he along with his father, mother and cousin, formed part of a Zuid-Limburg gang that specialized in the manufacture, trade and trafficking of hard and soft drugs. The Prosecutor believes that D. took data from police systems and information he received during briefings and passed it on to criminals for a price. At least four known criminals had a "running subscription" with him. Six undercover officers were used in the investigation against D. At these officers' request and promise of payment, D. gave them information. D. is also being charged with forgery in the registration of his hours and holidays. According to NRC, D.'s lawyer Peer Szymkowiak has many questions about the Public Prosecutor's investigation against his client. Among other things, he wants to know exactly power what the undercover officers had during the investigation and why they were used. "And was there no question of incitement?" The lawyer also thinks that more than the "necessary force" was used when D. was arrested. "To arrest him, among other things, a rear-end collision was used. You can really ask yourself if that was necessary. My client was a detective. How easy to arrest him at the station? Locking the door during a conversation would have been enough." On Thursday the court will decide on whether or not to grant Szymkowiak's request for 25 additional witnesses and the Prosecutor's request to hold all hearings in the secure bunker in Amsterdam. The substantive trial in this case is expected to start in January or February next year. D. is not the only Dutch police officer suspected of leaking confidential information to criminal. Former cop Mark M. from Weert was released from custody last month to await the trial against him in freedom. And on June 1st a police officer in The Hague was arrested on suspicion of leaking information to a drug gang.