Drones flying over ultra-secure prison trigger massive response from Dutch police
Drones seen flying above the prison with the country's only super-maximum security facility led to a substantial response from police on Monday night. The drones seen flying over the Vught Penitentiary Institution disappeared by 10:15 p.m.
A spokesperson for the police confirmed the investigation after initial reporting by Omroep Brabant. She emphasized that the drones were not part of an elaborate attempt to break someone out of prison.
There is a no-fly zone over the prison in Vught, Noord-Brabant, which is why the police responded en masse when the drones were spotted. Officers were seen wearing bulletproof vests as they tried to track down who was responsible for the drones.
Police were considering using other measures to knock the drones out of the air. The number of drones involved was not clear, but there were certainly more than one, the spokesperson said. The police are also investigating why the drones were above the prison.
The Extra Secure Institution (EBI) is part of the Vught Penitentiary Institution. Among the prisoners in the EBI are some of the country's most notorious convicted criminals, including Heineken kidnapping mastermind and organized crime leader Willem Holleeder, and alleged drug lord Ridouan Taghi, who is currently appealing convictions for multiple homicides.
He has been at the facility since his extradition from Dubai. His 23-year-old son, Faissal T., was also arrested in in Dubai on Dutch allegations of drug trafficking, money laundering and participation in a criminal organization. After his extradition, he was placed in pre-trial detention at the EBI.
