Eight people arrested in the Rotterdam region for large-scale drug smuggling

Eight people from the Rotterdam region were arrested on Tuesday as part of a long-running investigation into serious crime. They are suspected of importing hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, possessing weapons, and taking bribes, among other things, the Public Prosecution Service reported on Friday. In addition, data carriers, drugs, cash, and several weapons were found during house searches.

Je hoort misschien niet vaak over het #combiteamhavens, samenwerking van het #OM @FIOD, @Rijksrecherche en @POL_Rotterdam. Dat komt omdat dit team met langlopende onderzoeken bezig is. Deze week was er een grote actie met 8 aanhoudingen💪https://t.co/0PtIv8HvbG pic.twitter.com/UfawFdq1y0

— Openbaar Ministerie Rotterdam (@OM_Rotterdam) November 10, 2023

The eight suspects were only allowed to have contact with their lawyer. It concerns four men aged 23, 27, 30, and 55 from Rotterdam, a man from Ridderkerk (27), a man from the municipality of Moerdijk (33), as well as a 26-year-old man with no fixed address. In addition, a 25-year-old woman from Rotterdam was arrested.

They were brought before the examining magistrate on Friday, which determined that they would remain in jail for the next 14 days. However, the Public Prosecution Service said it could not give any further details because of the ongoing investigation.

The arrests were made by Combiteam Havens, a partnership of police, FIOD, the National Criminal Investigation Department, and the Public Prosecution Service, which investigates serious forms of organized subversive crime that affect the integrity and security of ports such as Rotterdam and Vlissingen.