Over €1.1 million seized at customs officer's home

Rotterdam detectives seized over a million euros from homes and business of a suspicious customs officer and his acquaintances, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) states.The investigation turned up 1.17 million euros in cash in shopping bags during a search of the customs officer's home in ’s-Gravenzande, Zuid-Holland, The 54-year old customs officer was arrested Friday on suspicion of facilitating drug trafficking after a 400-kilo cocaine batch was discovered in a shipping container coming from Brazil. He is also under investigation for involvement in importation of 3,000 kilos of cocaine intercepted in 2014. On Tuesday, the customs officer appeared in front of a magistrate, who sent the man back into custody for an extended period of 14 days. The 55-year old suspect from Utrecht was arraigned by the magistrate on Tuesday as well. A female colleague and some family members of the man were arrested on Friday afternoon. They are suspected of involvement in money laundering. The total amount of money seized during the investigation was not disclosed.