Netherlands, Colombia to work closely together against drug trafficking

The Netherlands and Colombia will cooperate even more closely in the fight against drug trafficking, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Colombian President Ivan Duque agreed during the latter's two-day visit to the Netherlands. They've made agreements to intensify cooperation between the Dutch police and Public Prosecution Services and their Colombian counterparts, Rutte said in a joint press conference after the two met, AD reports.

A lot of cocaine from Colombia enters the Netherlands and Europe through the port of Rotterdam. Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb recently visited Colombia. Upon his return, he wrote to Rutte that the Cabinet needs to step up and do more to fight against drug trafficking from Latin America.

President Duque said that his country's authorities would look into improving container inspection in Colombia. He praised the close cooperation with the port of Rotterdam but called for more international cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking. According to Duque, people don't realize the damage the drug trade is doing to Colombia. In addition to the related crime, it also causes ecocide as large parts of the rainforest are destroyed to grow coca.